What this suffix does
-torn describes something torn apart by conflict: war-torn, strife-torn / conflict-torn.
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Suffix · forms adjectives
-torn
Describes something torn apart by conflict: war-torn (devastated by war) and strife-torn (torn apart by internal conflict).
In Spanish: desgarrado por / devastado porIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Do not confuse with -worn
"-torn" is sudden, violent rupture. "-worn" is gradual wear (careworn, weatherworn). "war-torn" (destroyed by war) is not the same as "war-worn" (exhausted by war).
How it is formed
Noun (conflict) + torn.
- war + tornwar-torn (devastated by war)
- strife + tornstrife-torn (torn apart by conflict)
- grief + torngrief-torn (torn apart by grief)
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
How it is pronounced
-torn
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -torn
In a phrase
- warwar-tornAid workers help families in war-torn countries.
- strifestrife-tornThe strife-torn city has been rebuilding for years.
- conflictconflict-tornRefugees fled the conflict-torn region.
- doubtdoubt-tornShe was doubt-torn about accepting the new job.
- griefgrief-tornThe grief-torn widow moved slowly through the funeral.
Common mistakes
war-torn vs war-worn (same meaning)
they are distinct in what kind of damage they describe
"War-torn" describes violent disruption — the country or region has been ripped apart by conflict. "War-worn" describes exhaustion and gradual damage — a soldier worn down by years of fighting. A place can be war-torn; a person is more likely war-worn. Both can describe post-conflict realities, but from different angles: destruction (torn) vs. exhaustion (worn).
torn only works with wars and conflicts
-torn can describe any violent force that disrupts or divides
"-torn" is most common with conflict (war-torn, strife-torn) but the pattern works with any force that violently disrupts: doubt-torn (a mind torn by doubt), grief-torn (a heart torn by grief). These figurative uses are common in literary fiction. The key is the image of being violently ripped rather than gradually worn.
A trick to remember it
"Torn" comes from "tear" (to rip violently in one motion). Picture a piece of cloth literally ripping apart: war-TORN = the country was violently torn apart by war, not gradually (that would be -worn).
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What is the key difference between "war-torn" and "war-worn"?
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -torn mean in English?
The suffix -torn describes something torn apart by conflict: war-torn (devastated by war) and strife-torn (torn apart by internal conflict). In Spanish it usually maps to desgarrado por / devastado por.
Can you give an example of a word with -torn?
"war" becomes "war-torn". It is a typical example of the -torn suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-ridden
Forms adjectives describing something persistently dominated or plagued by something negative: guilt-ridden, debt-ridden, crime-ridden, anxiety-ridden, corruption-ridden.
-stricken
Forms adjectives describing someone or something severely affected by an emotion, condition, or calamity: poverty-stricken, grief-stricken, panic-stricken, awe-stricken, drought-stricken.
-worn
Describes something worn down by time or use: timeworn (worn by time) and careworn (worn out by worry).
Learn every English suffix
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