tear up
Third Person
tears up
Present Participle
tearing up
Past Tense
tore up
Past Participle
torn up
1
to rip something into small pieces
transitive
- She tore up the old love letters after the breakup.
- The frustrated artist tore his failed sketch up in frustration.
- He accidentally tore up the important report while flipping through it.
- In anger, he tore the contract up and walked away.
2
to begin to cry or become emotional
- He can't help tearing up each time the conversation shifts to the loss of a loved one.
- He starts to tear up talking about the support he received from friends during tough times.
- She starts to tear up remembering the kindness of strangers during a difficult time in her life.
- Even the smallest gestures of kindness make her tear up, a testament to her sensitive nature.