demolitionist

noun

de·​mo·​li·​tion·​ist ˌde-mə-ˈli-sh(ə-)nist How to pronounce demolitionist (audio)
ˌdē-
plural demolitionists
: one who advocates, supports, or oversees the demolition of something (such as an old building)
They described him as an expert demolitionist, trained in the use of dynamite and other high explosives.Associated Press, Spokane (Washington) Daily Chronicle, 8 Jan. 1976
… first your ideas get misrepresented, then they get attacked. Case in point these days is the demolitionists' false claim that preservationists want the arena to be an enclosed concert space.Ruth Ann Dailey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 14 Feb. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of demolitionist was in 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Demolitionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demolitionist. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.

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