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Rip to Shreds

What Does "Rip to Shreds" Mean?

homeidiomsRip to Shreds
"Rip to shreds" is an English idiom. It means "to criticize, ridicule, or denounce something or someone severely and mercilessly; to subject something to intense and destructive scrutiny or criticism."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "rip to shreds" used in a sentence:
  • The harsh movie review ripped the film to shreds, calling it a complete failure.
  • Her opponents in the debate tried to rip her arguments to shreds, but she defended her points eloquently.
  • Social media can be a platform where people rip each other to shreds over differing opinions.
meaning for rip to shreds

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Rip to Shreds" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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