demolishing 1 of 2

demolishing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of demolish
1
2
as in ruining
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 shattering
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of demolishing
Noun
In the filing, Omni Hotels outlined a five-year timeframe that would get the site fully designed, permitted and prepared for construction, noting construction would not start until at least five years after the demolishing of the buildings on site. Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
At Cordova Villa Elementary, construction includes demolishing the existing administration building and a classroom building. Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026 By 2022, the former mill was in disrepair, leading the city to purchase the property with the intention of demolishing it. Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026 Mansfield Timberview signaled state-title ambitions by demolishing West Mesquite 69-7, while White Settlement Brewer knocked off Class 6A Haltom 31-14 to open Class 5A play. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Aug. 2026 While members of the public and the architectural community have criticized the Rike Tubes for altering the character of Tbilisi’s historic old town, some favored relocating them to a more suitable setting rather than demolishing them. Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026 The final phase would involve demolishing some parts of the building. Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 25 Aug. 2026 As community members organized marches and protests, Abdeen helped bring a class-action lawsuit against the city, arguing that demolishing the neighborhood would violate residents’ civil rights. Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 Trump has faced widespread criticism for demolishing the East Wing of the White House to make room for the grand ballroom design. Callum Sutherland, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 Despite being identified decades ago, the exact trigger of the joint-demolishing condition is still unclear. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolishing
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In the early months of 2022, Russian forces occupied Irpin, destroying roughly 70% of the city.
    Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Tucker Desmond, who pleaded guilty to destroying evidence of other plotters' crimes, was sentenced to probation.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Museum putty or wax can help keep pieces in place without ruining either the tray or your collectibles.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2026
  • As fishermen wrestled their catches out of flimsy fiberglass boats near a makeshift shoreside market recently, several stopped to talk with CNN, complaining that the war is ruining business.
    Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Andrew Haigh is a master of restraint, a talent that he’s often weaponized against his own creations to beautiful and shattering effect.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Last year’s record-shattering monsoon season is heightening the urgency to invest in climate resilience.
    Angelica Ang, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • While images of destruction flooded social media, 68-year-old Chris White, a lifelong resident of Kauai and the owner of a rental home in Poipu, noted that much of the island was spared significant damage.
    GENE JOHNSON, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Palestinians possess no natural gift for grief and there is nothing beautiful about enduring destruction and death.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • After razing huge warehouses in recent months belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online retailer, Ukrainian drones are now taking aim at Ozon, the country’s second-largest e-commerce company.
    Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In March, Nebraska’s Morrill Fire tore through 642,000 acres to become the largest in state history, killing one person and razing vast stretches of cattle country.
    Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This would prevent cyclists from smashing into car doors opened into bike lanes, McDermott said.
    Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Boteli sealed his hat-trick at the Johan Cruyff Arena after charging down the right flank, chopping inside and smashing into the far corner on his left foot.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Traditions include blowing a ram's horn called a shofar and eating symbolic foods like apples in honey.
    Chad Murphy, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • If erratic winds are blowing from every direction, don’t give up.
    Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Demolishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demolishing. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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