What does shred mean?
“Shred” most commonly means to cut or tear something into small, narrow pieces, as when paper is put through a shredder or cabbage is shredded for a salad. It also has a figurative sense meaning to destroy or make information or evidence effectively irretrievable. As a noun, a “shred” is a small strip or fragment, especially of paper, cloth, or food. The related noun “shredder” names a machine, often found in offices, that cuts documents into unreadable strips. In everyday use, the word conveys both physical cutting and the deliberate concealment or destruction of information. It is especially common in phrases such as “shred documents” and “shred evidence,” where the implication of making recovery difficult is central.
To cut or tear something into small pieces, especially paper, food, or fabric; to destroy or make information or evidence difficult to recover.
"Please shred all invoices that contain customers' personal details."
Commonly used with documents, evidence, paper, cheese, and other materials that can be cut into pieces.
A small strip or fragment produced by cutting or tearing something; an act of shredding or destroying information or evidence.
"He tore the note into shreds before throwing it away."
The fragment sense is especially common in the phrase “a shred of,” while the act of destruction is usually expressed as “the shredding of” or “a shred of evidence.”
Used for individual strips or fragments, and sometimes for acts or instances of shredding.
"The paper was reduced to tiny shreds."
From tearing paper into strips to destroying sensitive evidence, “shred” has made secrecy sound surprisingly mundane.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shred come from?
The word comes through Middle English, where “shrede” referred to a strip, fragment, or piece. Its deeper history is associated with Old English words meaning a strip or fragment and to tear or divide into pieces. The modern form developed through several Middle English spelling and grammatical variations before settling into its present form.
Related word forms
How shred is actually used
The verb is commonly transitive: one shreds a thing rather than simply shredding. In figurative use, especially with documents or evidence, it suggests deliberate destruction that makes recovery difficult or impossible.