torn

American  

[tawrn, tohrn] / tɔrn, toʊrn /

verb

1. past participle of tear.

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torn British  

/ tɔːn /

verb

1. the past participle of tear 1

2. slang an unexpected event or circumstance has upset one's plans

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adjective

1. split or cut

2. divided or undecided, as in preference

   he was torn between staying and leaving

Other Word Forms

• untorn adjective

Explanation

Torn things have been pulled apart or ripped. Things can be literally torn, like a torn piece of paper, or figuratively torn — like your torn heart when you have to take sides in a family feud. You can serve a salad full of torn lettuce leaves, or mend a stuffed animal with a torn ear. In both cases, something has been divided by force, or pulled apart. It's also possible to be emotionally torn, or conflicted between two choices, options, or people: "I'm torn between going to the party or staying home and reading my library book." Either way, torn things are difficult (and sometimes impossible) to repair.

Example Sentences

Within one hour of contact, about 94% of virus particles were either torn apart or damaged so severely that they could no longer reproduce and cause infection.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

Experts were on the ground about 15 minutes later to confirm the reports and found trees ripped from their root systems and a barn with its roof freshly torn off.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Up here, Dantzler pointed, was a sand mine, which had torn out groves and gotten to mining beneath them.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

However, he was carried around the stadium on a makeshift throne during a "meet the audience" segment, suggesting his torn ligament hasn't completely healed.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Jack stood up quickly, torn between hiding the sword and just ignoring the prince’s look.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Related Words

• broken
• cracked
• damaged
• divided
• mangled
• ripped
• ruptured
• severed