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Glite Dictionary
to tear into

to tear into

4 7.4
To attack or criticize someone strongly
  • phrasal verb
  • /tɛr ˈɪntu/
  • Informal
translation icon : atacar
  • The coach tore into the players after their disappointing performance in the game.
  • tear into the Clinton record
  • ready to tear into

So for my first birthday that we were together, he bought me a Kindle book and no card and I tore into him.

Examples

  • Biden and Obama need to calmly but relentlessly tear into the inconsistencies, lies, and cynicism behind Romney-Ryan.

    Blog text (7)

  • That's when I first met Sandi Jackson, who greeted me with, "We laugh at the way you tear into politicians all the time."

    Blog text (11)

  • Man, I mean, I did kinda tear into him.

    Devil's Night (2015)

  • Many are tearing into Jackson and making fun of him.

    Blog text (11)

  • Dickie, it was great how you tore into those guys.

    Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

  • Will they tear into me about how I've been teaching math?

    Blog text (26)

  • Oh, they're tearing into me.

    Invisible Agent (1942)

  • I think it was because he became popular, and so people started to tear into him to look for the flaw, and there was a lot.

    Blog text (25)

  • Here is Chris Matthews tearing into Priebus for openly encouraging this sort of behavior.

    Blog text (21)

  • Nixon continued to tear into Truman, Acheson and the Democratic party for losing mainland China in 1949 and blamed the Korean War on a weak foreign policy.

    Nixon (1995)

Synonyms

to lash out
vsto tear into
71 5.6

Suddenly say angry things about someone by speaking or writing

is usually deliberate energetic criticism rather than an outburst
to revile
vsto tear into
  • Offensive
23 8.2

To say angry, insulting things about someone or something

is similar but stresses energetic attack rather than insults alone
to tear apart
vsto tear into
  • Informal
21 5.6

To criticize someone or something harshly

emphasizes energetic attack rather than detailed fault listing
to assail
vsto tear into
  • Formal
16 8.0

To attack violently, upset someone deeply or criticize them strongly

is limited to verbal energetic attack rather than physical actions
to lambast
vsto tear into
12 8.2

To criticize someone very strongly and angrily

is similar but stresses energetic attack rather than anger alone
to rip to shreds
vsto tear into
  • Informal
10 6.9

Tear something into many pieces or say very bad things about it

focuses more on forceful energetic attack than total destruction
to rip into
vsto tear into
  • Informal
4 7.4

To attack someone with strong angry words

is similar but is slightly more general in energy and tone
to lay into
vsto tear into
  • Informal
3 7.2

Use angry words to criticize someone strongly

is similar but can be used for sustained energetic criticism
to tear someone a new one
vsto tear into
  • Offensive
3 9.8

To scold someone very harshly

is similar but also fits non-personal energetic criticism
to tear (someone) a new one
vsto tear into
  • Offensive
2 9.9

To scold someone angrily

is broader, applying to vigorous attack beyond personal scolding
to rip someone's head off
vsto tear into
  • Offensive
1 8.5

Shout at someone in a very angry way and threaten them

shares strong anger but focuses more on energetic verbal attack
to lambaste
vsto tear into
1 8.0

To criticize someone or something very strongly in public

matches strong force but is not always publicly directed
to lace into
vsto tear into
  • NSFW
8.5

Criticize or attack someone strongly

is the same strong verbal attack but less explicitly violent
to eat someone's head off
vsto tear into
  • Informal
9.1

To speak angrily to someone and criticize them

overlaps in anger but is narrower to personal outbursts
to throw brickbats
vsto tear into
  • Literature
8.9

Attack someone with strong words in public

focuses on vigorous attack without requiring public exposure
to pitch into
vsto tear into
  • NSFW
7.8

To attack someone with your body or with strong words

is restricted to forceful verbal criticism rather than physical violence

Antonyms

to support
∞ 1.0

Give help to a person or idea

to defend
∞ 1.3

To protect people and things from attack or harm

How Harsh

to tear into
  • Informal
4 7.4
to rip into
  • Informal
4 7.4
rebuke
22 6.8
to criticize
701 3.3

Surface Forms

tear into infinitive
tearing into present participle
tears into third person singular
tore into past
torn into past participle

Morphology

tear + into

The verb 'tear' (to pull or rend) combined with the directional 'into' conveys a forceful, directed action, so learners who know the parts can infer an aggressive or forceful act. However, the shift from a literal ripping action to a figurative attack or strong verbal criticism is metaphorical and the precise sense (especially that it often means harsh criticism rather than physical assault) may not be fully predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb tear into comes from the image of tear and into working together: ripping straight into something, like a dog tearing into a bone. That's why it means 'to attack or criticize someone or something with great force or energy'.