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Definition of rend

rend

/rɛnd/
rend
Past Simple:rent
•
Past Participle:rent
•
Present Participle:rending
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rend Lexical Profile

rend Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To tear or rip something into pieces violently.

Example

"The fierce gale threatened to rend the canvas sails into tattered shreds."

2

To cause great emotional pain, anguish, or division to someone or something.

Example

"A bitter dispute over the family estate began to rend the once-close siblings apart."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for rend
Antonyms
View all antonyms for rend

Word Nuance & Usage

The verb 'rend' is primarily used in literary, poetic, or formal contexts (as in 'rend one's garments' or 'heart-rending') and has the irregular past tense and past participle 'rent'.

• Rhymes for rend

• Nearby Words

renaissance
renal
rename
rend
render
renderer
rendering

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'rendan', meaning to tear or cut down, of West Germanic origin and related to Old Frisian 'renda' (to tear or break).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Rend. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/rend
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