"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."
Source: tatoeba (6792958)
Rend
/ɹɛnd/
Synonyms for "rend" (184 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (37)
Strong matches (55)
Adjective(1 words)
episodic tearing
Noun(3 words)
fabric tearingfiber tearingmost continuous tearing
Verb(5 words)
Adverb(1 words)
more continuous tearing
Determiner(1 words)
most reflex tearing
Related words (92)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: rip, abrade, active tearing, afflict, amputate.
- Sentence evidence is available for rend, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "rend".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "rend"
Keep "rend" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "rend" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "rend", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "rend" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesMore specific
8 entriesCollocations
10 entriesInflections
3 entriesDerivations
1 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
So, when an aged ash on mountain tall / stout woodmen strive, with many a rival blow, / to rend from earth; awhile it threats to fall, / with quivering locks and nodding head; now slow / it sinks and, with a dying groan lies low, / and spreads its ruin on the mountain side.
Source: tatoeba (6859110)
Winds roll the waters, and the great seas rise. / Dispersed we welter on the gulfs. Damp night / has snatched with rain the heaven from our eyes, / and storm-mists in a mantle wrapt the light. / Flash after flash, and for a moment bright, / quick lightnings rend the welkin. Driven astray / we wander, robbed of reckoning, reft of sight. / No difference now between the night and day / e'en Palinurus sees, nor recollects the way.
Source: tatoeba (7009812)
There are also two statues of Hadrian there, and not far from the statues a perforated stone to which Jews come every year to anoint it, mourn with groans, rend their garments, and so depart.
Source: tatoeba (8784721)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "rend"?
Closest matches include rip, abrade, active tearing, afflict, amputate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "rend"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.