teardown

1 of 2

noun

tear·​down ˈter-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce teardown (audio)
: the act or process of disassembling

tear down

2 of 2

verb

tore down; torn down; tearing down; tears down

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause to decompose or disintegrate
b
: vilify, denigrate
trying to tear down his reputation
2
: to take apart : disassemble
tear down an engine

Examples of teardown in a Sentence

Verb vandals tore down the wooden fence blocking the entrance to the beach the new owners apparently bought the house just to tear it down and build a lavish mansion in its place
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The demolition was not subject to the same review processes that restrict teardowns of other historic buildings. Joey Garrison, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025 But on a Celtics team lacking off-the-bench difference-makers after its offseason teardown, Gonzalez already looks like an asset. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
Trump has come under criticism from a number of Democrats for tearing down the East Wing of the White House to build a new ballroom. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 14 Nov. 2025 The White House addition that was built in 1942 was torn down to make space for the ballroom last month. Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for teardown

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1926, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Teardown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teardown. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

tear down

verb
: to knock down and break into pieces
tear down an old building
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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