demolition

noun

de·​mo·​li·​tion ˌde-mə-ˈli-shən How to pronounce demolition (audio)
ˌdē-mə-
1
: the act of demolishing
especially : destruction in war by means of explosives
2
demolitions plural : explosives for destruction in war
demolitionist noun

Examples of demolition in a Sentence

The old factory is scheduled for demolition next week. The demolitions should be complete by the end of the year.
Recent Examples on the Web The decor is an amusingly mixed homage to local landmarks such as the Pleasant Hill Motor Movies drive-in theater, which stood on this site before demolition in the 1970s. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Instead of a more costly demolition and rebuild of the administration building to accommodate the new employees, the township opted to move the police department into a new, separate facility. The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024 Those concerns have been amplified by a bill making its way through the Florida House that would allow for the demolition of historic homes in flood plains, legislation that exposes the tensions between preservation of the past and resiliency for the future. Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 The demolition is expected to take two to three months, according to LaJuan Counts, director of the city's Construction and Demolition Department. Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 In some cases, this has led to the demolition of Arab property and the imposition of massive fines. Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 The building where the killing happened is scheduled for demolition this summer. USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2024 The city’s website on demolition permits gives a time frame of 50-60 days for approvals and an additional 20 days for neighbor notification, preinspection, permits, demolition and final inspection. Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2024 Calling the 1890s-era building one of Gilbert’s less celebrated contributions to the city’s architectural history, the St. Paul City Council voted 6-1 in January 2021 to reverse the HPC decision that had blocked demolition. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'demolition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin dēmōlītiōn-, dēmōlītiō, from dēmōlīrī "to throw down, pull down, demolish" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of demolition was in 1549

Dictionary Entries Near demolition

Cite this Entry

“Demolition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demolition. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

demolition

noun
de·​mo·​li·​tion ˌdem-ə-ˈlish-ən How to pronounce demolition (audio)
ˌdē-mə-
: the act of demolishing
especially : destruction by means of explosives

More from Merriam-Webster on demolition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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