1
as in tower
a large, magnificent, or massive building
the U.S. Capitol is one of our nation's most impressive edifices
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2
as in building
something built as a dwelling, shelter, or place for human activity
the first edifices built by the colonists were primitive huts with walls of dried mud and roofs covered with thatch
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3
as in structure
the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form
the edifice of the argument is quite simple, once you get past the fancy language
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of edifice
The edifice of apartheid’s legal order crumbled in 1994.
—
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
The volcanic edifice, composed of a complex succession of lava flows and ash deposits, started to take shape around 100,000 years ago.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Those costs are still as much as 20 percent less than building something new because the edifice is retained, Mr. Pestronk said.
—Ellen Rosen, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
But where Roosevelt used his early weeks to build a new edifice, Mr. Trump has used his to tear it down.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for edifice
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
The volcanic edifice, composed of a complex succession of lava flows and ash deposits, started to take shape around 100,000 years ago.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Those costs are still as much as 20 percent less than building something new because the edifice is retained, Mr. Pestronk said.
—Ellen Rosen, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
But where Roosevelt used his early weeks to build a new edifice, Mr. Trump has used his to tear it down.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for edifice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for edifice
Noun
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Burton says their oldest, Gus, 15, an aspiring actor who now towers over his parents, showed up in a big way.—
Kirsten Acuna,
People.com,
23 June 2025
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His bone temple, and the centerpiece, a tower of skulls, serves as a tribute to the communal nature of life and stories.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
23 June 2025
Noun
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Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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Also in the hours before the ceasefire went into effect, the Israeli ambulance service said that Iran killed four people in a missile attack that hit a residential building in southern Israel.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
Noun
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So after weeks of negotiations between Phoenix and so many teams around the league, with Houston, San Antonio and Miami known to be Durant’s preferred destinations and, per league sources, the Suns exploring a variety of three-team structures that never materialized, the Rockets relented.—
Kelly Iko,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
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After all, this $152 million structure included a $50 million contribution from Qualcomm co-founder Andrew Viterbi in honor of Achille Viterbi, his father, an accomplished ophthalmologist who brought the family to America, fleeing fascist Italy in 1939.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
Noun
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More people began to poke their head in from the hallways that ring the cathedral’s worship space to see what was going on.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
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The cruise concludes in Cologne, home to one of Germany’s most awe-inspiring cathedrals and some of its most beloved Christmas markets.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Nike reports that this shirt’s ‘geometric lines celebrate the country's architecture, while the cool purples and icy turquoise evoke morning light over snowy landscapes’.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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The caverns were later incorporated into a 13th-century Benedictine abbey, destroyed during the French Revolution but still visible in the architecture of the lower levels.—
Rachel King,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Noun
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On iOS, attackers deliver the malware through fake software frameworks or enterprise provisioning profiles, often disguised as legitimate components.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
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Robust data governance frameworks, phased roll‑outs and ongoing education programs are all key strategies to help mitigate these challenges.—
Dr. Taha Kass-Hout,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Edifice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/edifice. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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