demolish

de·mol·ish

transitive verb \di-ˈmä-lish\

Definition of DEMOLISH

1

a : tear down, raze

b : to break to pieces : smash

2

a : to do away with : destroy

b : to strip of any pretense of merit or credence

— de·mol·ish·er noun

— de·mol·ish·ment \-lish-mənt\ noun

Examples of DEMOLISH

1. The old factory was demolished to make way for a new parking lot.
2. Tons of explosives were used to demolish the building.
3. The town hopes to restore the old theater rather than have it demolished.
4. The car was demolished in the accident.
5. They demolished the other team 51–7.

Origin of DEMOLISH

Middle French demoliss-, stem of demolir, from Latin demoliri, from de- + moliri to construct, from moles mass — more at mole

First Known Use: 1570

Related to DEMOLISH

Synonyms

level, pull down, raze, tear down, unbuild

Antonyms

build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up

Related Words

blow up, dynamite; abolish, annihilate, crack up, crush, dash, decimate, destroy, devastate, devour, dissolve, do in, eradicate, extirpate, finish, flatten, obliterate, overturn, pulverize, ravage, ruin, scourge, smash, total, unmake, waste, wipe out, wreck

Near Antonyms

build, construct, erect, put up, raise; rebuild, renew, renovate, restore; create, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, make, manufacture, shape

Rhymes with DEMOLISH

abolish