demolish

verb

de·​mol·​ish di-ˈmä-lish 

demolished; demolishing; demolishes

transitive verb

1

a

: tear down, raze

demolish a building

b

: to break to pieces : smash

His car was demolished in the accident.

2

a

: to do away with : destroy

a filibuster which would effectively demolish the issue

—Current Biography

… a performance so awkward and apathetic it instantly appeared to demolish any chance of restoring her declining career …

—Dave Itzkoff

b

: to strip of any pretense of merit or credence

demolished her debate opponents

demolish a stereotype

demolisher noun

demolishment

di-ˈmä-lish-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• level
• pull down
• raze
• tear down
• unbuild

Examples of demolish in a Sentence

The old factory was demolished to make way for a new parking lot.

Tons of explosives were used to demolish the building.

The town hopes to restore the old theater rather than have it demolished.

The car was demolished in the accident.

They demolished the other team 51–7.

Recent Examples on the Web

The city would be authorized to demolish the complex if the owner fails to do so. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024

The council voted 13 to 1 to deny an appeal of the project, allowing Midwood Investment & Development to demolish the once-popular event center and hotel at Ventura Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon Avenue. —Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

The second of three blasts to demolish the Buck O’Neil Bridge will take place Tuesday, prompting road closures in the area. —Andrea Klick, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024

The casino is set to close Tuesday as organizers begin preparing to demolish it, but the team still could be delayed by legal challenges to the $380 million in public funding earmarked for the stadium, which would be MLB’s smallest. —Michael Nowels, The Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2024

An agreement was later announced to demolish the resort to make way for the future ballpark. —Becky Sullivan, NPR, 31 Mar. 2024

Housing experts say the $418 million settlement will effectively demolish the current real estate business model, in which home sellers pay both their agent and their buyers’ agent, which critics say inflated housing prices. —Samantha Delouya, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024

It was not demolished as part of a false flag operation. —Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024

Skillman The site at 121 Gratiot Ave. has served as a city library since 1895, first dubbed the Detroit Public Library the original building was demolished and rebuilt by 1877 in the art deco style of the Skillman Branch standing today. —Detroit Free Press, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French demolir, extended stem demoliss- (with final conformed to earlier English verbs with the same ending, as nourish, perish), borrowed from Latin dēmōlīrī, dēmōlīre "to throw off, pull down, raze," from dē- de- + mōlīrī "to labor to bring about, strive, build, construct." probably derivative of mōlēs "large mass, massive structure, effort, exertion" — more at mole entry 4

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

demolish

verb

de·​mol·​ish di-ˈmäl-ish 

a

: tear down, raze

b

: to break to pieces : smash 2 : to do away with : put an end to

demolisher noun

demolishment

-ish-mənt 

noun