Destroyed emotionally

TORE UP

Think of how someone might describe feeling utterly shattered after a heartbreaking loss, like ripping something apart in despair.

Destroyed emotionally" hints at a phrase meaning deep distress, but the answer "TORE UP" plays on two meanings. Literally, "tore up" can describe something ripped apart, but in slang, it also means being emotionally wrecked or devastated. The clue cleverly uses the double meaning to lead to the answer, where "up" adds emphasis to the emotional impact. Think of how someone might say, "That breakup really tore me up.