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
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
During perestroika, the city regained its historical name of Mairupol, and Ukrainian authorities demolished Zhdanov city monuments.
—
Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
The proposed In-N-Out site in Smyrna is now home to Hickory Falls Wood-Fired Bar & Grill restaurant that would be demolished to make way for the In-N-Out if approved.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 8 Sep. 2025
Additionally, several existing dilapidated buildings on the site will be demolished and their concrete recycled and partly reused to realize the new structures.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
Archaeologists believe that Ayscough's house was demolished after a fire destroyed it in the early 1800s – but its remains have only just been uncovered in new excavations.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
The proposed In-N-Out site in Smyrna is now home to Hickory Falls Wood-Fired Bar & Grill restaurant that would be demolished to make way for the In-N-Out if approved.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 8 Sep. 2025
Additionally, several existing dilapidated buildings on the site will be demolished and their concrete recycled and partly reused to realize the new structures.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
Archaeologists believe that Ayscough's house was demolished after a fire destroyed it in the early 1800s – but its remains have only just been uncovered in new excavations.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolish
Verb
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Some are value-destroying black holes; others are relentless value creators.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The first instance of NATO nations downing drones came last week, when Polish and Dutch fighters destroyed three Russian drones over Poland.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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Our family has been ruined by Denise's lies of promising to end a year-long affair.—
Stephanie Wenger,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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What would shatter any other nation has become our daily broadcast.—
John Feinblatt,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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These hopes are shattered when a brutish stranger appears on the doorstep to take his family back.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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It was razed by the Israeli military months ago.—
Josh Holder,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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Just as a developer is trying to move ahead with plans to raze the historic Excelsior Club in west Charlotte, then rebuild a near replica, a local museum CEO is trying to make the case for saving the structure.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Deadly floods in Asia have devastated crops, crippling already fragile food production.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The glossy marketing doesn't include a footnote about trust funds, family support or the ability to absorb year-over-year losses that would devastate most working families.—
Elle Wang,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As the first half drew to a close, Calvert-Lewin towered above Kenny Tete to nod a ball down that Sean Longstaff would eventually smash off the crossbar.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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In the worst-case scenario, a collision could smash a satellite into many more pieces of space debris, which each then go on to collide with more satellites, which produces more chunks of space junk, and so on and so forth.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Last week the hacks finally returned Read’s SUV, but with its electronics system totally wrecked.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
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Arguing further against a lopsided game, two Eagles defenders who wrecked Kansas City’s blocking in the Super Bowl have moved on.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As health restrictions discouraged people from blowing directly into instruments, Gajewski and Brown reimagined the design.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
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Soldiers have also been spotted in parks carrying out tasks typically assigned to gardeners and landscapers – shoveling mulch, blowing leaves and scooping up trash.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demolish. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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