What does "rend" mean?
A violent separation of parts.
Rend
/ɹɛnd/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A violent separation of parts.
- Grammar: rend is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: rip, abrade, active tearing, afflict.
- Useful contrasts: heal, mend, repair.
- Usage evidence: "We come not hither with the sword to rend / your Libyan homes, and shoreward drive the prey. / Nay, no such violence our thoughts intend, / such pride suits not the vanquished."
How to use "rend"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rend" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rend" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "rend" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rend" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rend" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "rip" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "rend", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A violent separation of parts.
"She'd been in a couple of minor car accidents herself, and witnessed a few others, and the rend of metal was unforgettable."
Verb
- 1 To separate into parts with force or sudden violence; to split; to burst. transitive
"Powder rends a rock in blasting."
- 2 tear or be torn violently wordnet
- 3 To violently disturb the peace of; to throw into chaos. figuratively, transitive
"a scream that rent the air"
- 4 To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force; to amputate. transitive
"And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven."
- 5 To be rent or torn; to become parted; to separate; to split. intransitive
"Relationships may rend if tempers flare."
Example
""We come not hither with the sword to rend / your Libyan homes, and shoreward drive the prey. / Nay, no such violence our thoughts intend, / such pride suits not the vanquished.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rend"?
Common synonyms include: rip, abrade, active tearing, afflict, amputate, atomize.
How do you use "rend" in a sentence?
"We come not hither with the sword to rend / your Libyan homes, and shoreward drive the prey. / Nay, no such violence our thoughts intend, / such pride suits not the vanquished."
How do you pronounce "rend"?
Pronounced /ɹɛnd/.
Etymology
From Middle English renden, from Old English rendan (“to rend, tear, cut, lacerate, cut down”), from Proto-West Germanic *(h)randijan (“to tear”), of uncertain origin. Believed by some to be the causative of Proto-Germanic *hrindaną (“to push”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱret-, *kret- (“to hit, beat”), which would make it related to Old English hrindan (“to thrust, push”). Cognate with Scots rent (“to rend, tear”), Old Frisian renda (“to tear”).