on a tear

phrase

US, informal
: having great success over a period of time
The team has been on a tear in recent weeks.
The economy is on a tear, but can it last?

Examples of on a tear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Space Exploration Technologies is on a tear Wednesday after its latest quarterly earnings report. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 Buying Al Nassr would put RedBird at the center of Saudi Arabia’s multi-billion-dollar sports expansion, which had been on a tear before the government began cutting back on spending. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Sanchez has been on a tear for the North Carolina Courage in the National Women’s Soccer League, scoring a league-leading 20 goals in 27 games. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 Raja, who lost the PWA Champions Grail earlier this year, has been on a tear since June. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for on a tear

Rhymes for on a tear

See All Rhymes for on a tear

Browse Nearby Words

on at
on a tear
on/at first acquaintance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“On a tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20a%20tear. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vocation

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All