raze

verb

razed; razing

transitive verb

1
: to destroy to the ground : demolish
raze an old building
2
a
: to scrape, cut, or shave off
b
archaic : erase
razer noun

Examples of raze in a Sentence

an entire city block razed by a terrible fire the developer razed the old school building and built a high-rise condominium complex
Recent Examples on the Web The August blazes were the deadliest in modern American history, killing at least 97 people and razing entire homes and communities. Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2023 At the Committee of the Whole Aug. 17 meeting, Glencoe Preservation Commission Chairman Peter Van Vechten formally presented the Village Board with a series of recommendations intended to stem the flow of razing Glencoe homes and further preservation efforts. Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023 The electrical problems began after Hurricane Maria pummeled the island in 2017 and razed the power grid that crews only recently started to rebuild. Danica Coto, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2023 Bulldozers were wheeled in to raze homes and shops — mostly those of Muslims — without due process and with the visuals transmitted across the country. Hari Kumar, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023 The defeat spurred James to photograph houses within the school’s site plan, knowing they might soon be razed. Brandi Kellam, ProPublica, 5 Sep. 2023 Arena helps draw other developments The 10 acres which Milwaukee County sold to the Bucks for $1 in 2015 was part of a strip on downtown's north end left vacant after the former Park East Freeway was razed in 2003. Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2023 In British Columbia, Canada, 15,000 households have been ordered to evacuate as fires raze the province. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Aug. 2023 It will be built on the 18-acre site that home to the Hollywood 18 movie theaters, which were razed in 2021. Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 12 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'raze.' 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

alteration of rase

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of raze was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near raze

Cite this Entry

“Raze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raze. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

raze

verb
razed; razing
: to destroy completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces : demolish
razed the building

More from Merriam-Webster on raze

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!