What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
rend
Example
The storm winds were strong enough to rend the trees from their roots. [rend: verb]
Example
The political scandal has rended the country into two opposing factions. [rended: past participle]
tear
Example
She accidentally tore her shirt while trying to remove a stain. [tore: past tense]
Example
The dog tore the toy to shreds in a matter of minutes. [tore: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Tear is more commonly used than rend in everyday language. Tear is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while rend is less common and often used in more dramatic or intense situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between rend and tear?
While tear can be used in both formal and informal contexts, rend is typically associated with a more formal or literary tone due to its less common usage.
