raze

verb

ˈrāz 

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

Synonyms

• annihilate
• cream
• decimate
• demolish
• desolate
• destroy
• devastate
• do in
• extinguish
• nuke
• pull down
• pulverize
• rub out
• ruin
• shatter
• smash
• tear down
• total
• vaporize
• waste
• wrack
• wreck

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

Buildings that were part of the Howe Developmental Center, to the east of the Park District’s Freedom Park, are newer than the rest of the hospital property and are expected to involve less environmental remediation before being razed. —Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025

Six Flags Atlantis was razed for Oakwood Plaza in Hollywood. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 11 June 2025

Owners of three structures in the city have until June 20 to take action to fix issues with their properties or risk the city razing the buildings. —Lynn Kutter, Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025

Ex-guerrilla groups in Colombia razed swaths of the Amazon rainforest to support illicit operations. —Justyna Gudzowska, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of rase

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for raze

• baize
• bays
• blase
• blaze
• braes
• braze
• chaise
• claes
• clays
• craze
• dais
• days

Kids Definition

raze

verb

ˈrāz 

razed; razing

: to destroy completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces : demolish

razed the building