1
as in to destroy
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
developers demolished the old warehouse to make room for the new shopping mall
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
most of the buildings in the town had been demolished in the bombing raid
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shatter
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
terrorists used a powerful pipe bomb to demolish the concrete wall around the compound
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demolish
The defunct Redlands Mall, which is set to be demolished this year, is also a central subject in his artwork.
—
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
In the late 1980s, Society for Savings demolished nearly a block of buildings, including the city’s first skyscraper.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Now, however, the building may be sold, and quite possibly demolished.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
The musician and fashion mogul began the process of demolishing the architectural gem, completely stripping its electricity, plumbing, bathrooms, and windows.
—India Roby, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
In the late 1980s, Society for Savings demolished nearly a block of buildings, including the city’s first skyscraper.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Now, however, the building may be sold, and quite possibly demolished.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
The musician and fashion mogul began the process of demolishing the architectural gem, completely stripping its electricity, plumbing, bathrooms, and windows.
—India Roby, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolish
Verb
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Toxins build up and start to destroy the kidneys and liver.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Renowned for its beauty and ability to attract butterflies, butterfly bush (Buddleia) can spread quickly and outcompete and destroy native plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Talley went long with an 8-iron into a back bunker on the 12th, the hole that ruined Jordan Spieth's chances of a repeat Masters victory in 2016.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The multiple mistresses ruined his image; the countless injuries derailed his golf game.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In this case, the arc of the season was primed for Batula to be the victim rising from the ashes of her divorce, only for her recent romantic indiscretions to shatter that fantasy.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
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March 2026 was a historic month for temperatures in the United States, fueled by an extraordinary and prolonged heat wave that shattered temperature records across much of the West, according to a new report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).—
Dan Peck,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Though some of the former canneries and plants across the city were razed, several have been adapted for other uses.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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Israeli ground troops have razed residential buildings while airstrikes have hit multiple bridges severing vital routes between southern Lebanon and the north.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Florida’s citrus industry has been in a steady decline the past 25 years because of Huanglongbing (also known as HLB and citrus greening disease), a bacterial disease that devastates citrus trees.—
Jim Turner,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
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Last year saw 13 named storms, including five hurricanes, most notably Category 5 Melissa, which devastated Jamaica.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Lyrids are known for producing bright, fast-moving meteors that tend to lack persistent trails, but have the potential to spawn spectacular fireballs as larger chunks of Comet Thatcher smash into Earth's atmosphere.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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In footage shared by the BBC on X, Medvedev, who suffered a 6-0 6-0 loss during the 49-minute match, was filmed smashing up his tennis racket six times and angrily tossing it across the court.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump's rocky relationship with NATO dates back to his first term, but the war with Iran has wrecked any remaining foundation, NPR's Franco Ordoñez says.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2026
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One is a search for stability, driven by a horror of chaos and by memories of the mayhem that wrecked his childhood and banished him to the cave.—
Michael Sheridan,
Vanity Fair,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Duke would make the 2025 Final Four before blowing a lead and getting upset by Houston in the national semifinal.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
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Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Clippers recovered after blowing a 23-point lead to beat rookie Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks 116-103 on Tuesday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demolish. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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