← Dictionary

avulse

/əˈvʌls/
IELTSAcademic
verb

To tear something away suddenly and forcefully, especially a body part or tissue. In medicine, it often means to remove by pulling or tearing.

  • The surgeon had to avulse the damaged tooth.
  • The injury avulsed part of the skin.
  • A strong pull can avulse the tendon.

Adinary Nuance

Avulse is more specific than remove, pull off, or tear off. It sounds technical and is most often used in medicine or anatomy. Writers choose it when they want to stress a sudden, forceful tearing away, not a simple taking away.

In other languages

Vietnamese
giật rách
Spanish
arrancar
Chinese
撕脱
Japanese
剥離する
Korean
박리하다

Etymology

Avulse comes from Latin avulsus, meaning 'torn away,' from avellere, 'to tear off.' It entered English through medical and scientific writing.

Common phrases

avulse a toothavulsed tissueavulsion injury

Synonyms

tear away (opens in new tab)rip off (opens in new tab)detach (opens in new tab)sever (opens in new tab)

Related words

avulsion (opens in new tab)remove (opens in new tab)extractinjury (opens in new tab)

Frequently asked questions

Is avulse a common everyday word?
No. It is rare in everyday English and mainly used in medicine.
What is the difference between avulse and remove?
Remove is general. Avulse means to tear away suddenly and forcefully.
Can I use avulse in a normal conversation?
Usually not. It sounds technical and may seem unnatural outside medical talk.