1. ruin or tear something/someone to pieces
Professional
Social
rip a person/thing apart
To 'rip apart' something means to tear it to pieces or completely destroy something. "He ripped up all the photos of their time together." It can also be used figuratively to say something causes people to argue or no longer be friends. "The disagreement ripped the family apart for years." You can also 'rip apart' an argument by discrediting it or 'rip apart' a person by publicly criticising them and calling them out.