demolition
noun
de·mo·li·tion
ˌde-mə-ˈli-shən 
ˌdē-mə-
1
: the act of demolishing: such as
a
: destruction in war by means of explosives
b
: controlled destruction of a building or other structure
The old factory is scheduled for demolition next week.
2
demolitions plural
: explosives for destruction in war
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
Now, after years of fighting over the plan, FEMA has ruled that the demolition cannot go forward without the unanimous consent of those homeowners.
—
John Ramos, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
The bronze doors and concrete walls with remarkably few windows looked ancient, and the building more closely resembled a student dormitory awaiting demolition than an institution where precious cultural assets from around the world were collected and stored.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
In this aerial image, heavy machinery is visible at the beginning of the demolition of the Atlanta Medical Center as the site undergoes its transformation into a new face of the developing project on Monday, June 30, 2025.
—Ariel Hart, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
An historic Milwaukee building faces demolition if development doesn't come through.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demolition
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
John Ramos, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
The bronze doors and concrete walls with remarkably few windows looked ancient, and the building more closely resembled a student dormitory awaiting demolition than an institution where precious cultural assets from around the world were collected and stored.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
In this aerial image, heavy machinery is visible at the beginning of the demolition of the Atlanta Medical Center as the site undergoes its transformation into a new face of the developing project on Monday, June 30, 2025.
—Ariel Hart, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
An historic Milwaukee building faces demolition if development doesn't come through.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demolition
Cite this Entry
“Demolition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demolition. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
demolition
noun
de·mo·li·tion
ˌdem-ə-ˈlish-ən
ˌdē-mə-
: the act of demolishing
especially
: destruction by means of explosives
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
