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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demolish
Flashbacks reveal haunting mommy issues triggered as Mary watches her childhood home get demolished to make way for a high-rise apartment building.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 May 2026
The affordable housing development was built on the site of the troubled Jericho Circle housing complex, which was demolished in 2012.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Two notable exceptions are Sednaya Military Prison, which was looted and partially closed, and Tadmur Military Prison, which was partly demolished by ISIS and then bombed.
—Amer Matar, The Dial, 26 May 2026
Before construction could begin, developers would need to demolish and relocate the existing MTA facility and complete a brownfield cleanup of the property.
—Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 May 2026
The affordable housing development was built on the site of the troubled Jericho Circle housing complex, which was demolished in 2012.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Two notable exceptions are Sednaya Military Prison, which was looted and partially closed, and Tadmur Military Prison, which was partly demolished by ISIS and then bombed.
—Amer Matar, The Dial, 26 May 2026
Before construction could begin, developers would need to demolish and relocate the existing MTA facility and complete a brownfield cleanup of the property.
—Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolish
Verb
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In July 1936, anarchists set fire to the church’s crypt and broke into the architect’s workshop before destroying many of his plans and plaster models.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
The Russian president, who has never acknowledged that Ukraine is a legitimate country, or that Zelensky is its legitimate president, could continue to bomb Ukrainian cities, hoping to destroy the electrical grid and make the country unlivable.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Years earlier, in 2001, the undercover detective involved claimed her career had been ruined by the case, and received around $166,000 in an out-of-court settlement, per the BBC.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
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Think about it the next time a presidential rant ruins your coffee.—
Steven Andreasen,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Standard polystyrene shattered or punctured easily under the stress.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Verb
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On my right was a patch of wild Florida that had been razed to make room for a new subdivision built by Lennar.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
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As the first rendering of a possible ballpark and mixed-use development shows, Sutter Health Park, where the Triple-A River Cats call home, would be razed.—
Maury Brown,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Horvath has faced issues in her district, which includes county areas devastated by the Palisades fire.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
4 June 2026
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In the case of Tom Brandis, played by the singular Mark Ruffalo, a tragedy (matricide) has devastated his family unit.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The men would brandish firearms and smash car windows before demanding that the victim hand over the money.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
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Every day, there are news reports of hundreds of people rioting in cities across our country — windows being smashed, merchandise stolen, police vehicles damaged and people being attacked and injured.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The kind of game-wrecking force that the Rams enjoyed playing behind during Aaron Donald’s tenure, and one the defense has missed since Donald’s retirement prior to the 2024 season.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
2 June 2026
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These two didn't get along great for a long period after Kyle wrecked Junior at Richmond.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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This doesn’t work for Alice, however, who goes from disbelief to sabotage to an act of betrayal whose wreckage spills out over the series and blows back on her.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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Whenever your outfit feels a little plain, these goodies will inject some welcome personality—all without blowing a hole in your budget.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demolish. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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