teardown

1 of 2

noun

tear·​down ˈter-ˌdau̇n 

: 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

Synonyms of teardown

Verb

• destroy
• ruin
• demolish
• shatter
• wreck
• devastate
• overcome
• pull down
• smash
• damage

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

Noun

Sky-high land prices drive the cost of homes on that land even higher, said Jorge Castellano, a Miami-Dade developer who builds luxury spec homes, often on the sites of teardowns. — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026

Some of the overall housing production, however, represents replacement rather than additional housing, with teardown activity rising sharply in 2025 in part because of the Palisades and Eaton fires, according to the report. — Teresa Liu, Daily News, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

Trump will depart sooner or later, the banners will be torn down and much of his petty talk will be and should be forgotten. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026

Demolition crews this month began tearing down another complex, the Lindy Boggs Medical Center, which had sat blighted and vacant for more than 20 years after Katrina. — Jack Brook, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1926, in the meaning defined above

Verb

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

Rhymes for teardown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

tear down

verb

: to knock down and break into pieces

tear down an old building