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
Last year, advocates for the New York Fashion Workforce Coalition rallied together over concern that buildings would be demolished and manufacturing would be diminished with the rezoning.
—
Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2025
At the fore is Greenbelt 1 in Makati, the group’s oldest shopping center of 1980s vintage, that was demolished last year.
—Jonathan Burgos, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
By the early 1960s, the entire area was demolished to make way for what is now Capitol Mall.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2025
After partially collapsing on Sunday, one of the two Eutaw Street buildings condemned by the city’s housing department was being demolished Monday evening, as transportation officials advised that street closures likely will continue through Tuesday’s commute.
—Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2025
At the fore is Greenbelt 1 in Makati, the group’s oldest shopping center of 1980s vintage, that was demolished last year.
—Jonathan Burgos, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
By the early 1960s, the entire area was demolished to make way for what is now Capitol Mall.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2025
After partially collapsing on Sunday, one of the two Eutaw Street buildings condemned by the city’s housing department was being demolished Monday evening, as transportation officials advised that street closures likely will continue through Tuesday’s commute.
—Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demolish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolish
Verb
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For weeks after the house was destroyed, Ms. Monarrez couldn’t sleep.—
Jill Cowan,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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Large dangerous waves will likely inundate and destroy protective dune structures.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
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Her Altadena home and the surrounding community were ruined by the Eaton wildfires that ripped through Los Angeles in January.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But true evil transcends death…As Gwen begins to receive calls in her dreams from the black phone and experience disturbing visions, her determination to solve the mystery will lead her and Finn to a snowed-in winter camp and a shattering discovery about the Grabber and their own family’s history.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
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What is there to say when our souls have been shattered day after day, week after week, year after year?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Our client, the owner of the mobile home park, had to raze the lady’s mobile home due to the remaining toxic wastes.—
Christopher A. Combs,
AZCentral.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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More than 12,000 buildings burned to the ground and thousands of acres were razed to ashes.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Officials gathered Monday at a shopping center in Seymour that was devastated on Aug. 18, 2024 by massive flooding and mud that damaged multiple stores in the plaza and knocked them out of business for months and more.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
19 Aug. 2025
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Some movies aim to entertain, while others devastate.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The woman then allegedly hit the driver’s car with a tire iron, smashed her windows, and threw a brick at her car.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
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While today’s burger price at Town Topic is $4.95, not much else has changed, according to Waite, who said the beef patties are still smashed thin and fried to achieve crispy edges, just like Sparks and Billings did.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The chief said the suspect wrecked the vehicle before taking a Volkswagen from a car dealership.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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Houses and sections of a port have been wrecked or swept out to sea.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
30 July 2025
Verb
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When the plot’s pressure valve finally appears ready to blow, Lurker pivots for an intriguing third-act switch-up.—
Eric Torres,
Pitchfork,
27 Aug. 2025
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As the Turkish central bank slashed interest rates at Erdogan’s behest, the Turkish lira crashed and inflation blew past 80%.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demolish. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
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