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
Supposedly the poem was inspired by a peyote-vision where the edifice of San Francisco’s Sir Francis Drake Hotel was transformed into a hideous, twisted, demonic visage, which inspired the beating heart of Howl’s second section.
—
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Those living in Upper Manhattan and Harlem must contend with buildings and structures rising up from The Bronx; those on the Upper East Side and Midtown will be looking toward Queens, while those in the East Village, down to Houston Street, are facing Brooklyn edifices.
—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
As with a cathedral, a basilica may be a relatively humble edifice, though many are spectacular buildings.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
11 May 2026
But although the edifice built at great expense—by Fannie Lou Hamer, by John Lewis, by the bloodied limbs of Mississippi sharecroppers and Alabama marchers—has not been entirely bulldozed, only the facade remains.
—
Vann R. Newkirk Ii,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for edifice
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Those living in Upper Manhattan and Harlem must contend with buildings and structures rising up from The Bronx; those on the Upper East Side and Midtown will be looking toward Queens, while those in the East Village, down to Houston Street, are facing Brooklyn edifices.
—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
As with a cathedral, a basilica may be a relatively humble edifice, though many are spectacular buildings.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
11 May 2026
But although the edifice built at great expense—by Fannie Lou Hamer, by John Lewis, by the bloodied limbs of Mississippi sharecroppers and Alabama marchers—has not been entirely bulldozed, only the facade remains.
—
Vann R. Newkirk Ii,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for edifice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for edifice
Noun
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In addition to museums and university buildings, Pei’s oeuvre includes chapels, public plazas and air traffic control towers.
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According to the report, the southern pool deck edge became unseated from a supporting wall, causing a slab to sag and break away from the middle tower face.
Noun
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The building had long-term degradation from corrosion, too.
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Officers with the Boise Police Department have closed off two lanes on Front Street by the Interstate 84 Connector after a vehicle crashed into a building at the corner of 12th Street.
Noun
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Days before the five-year anniversary of the 2021 building collapse that killed 98 people in Surfside, the federal government has published findings that determined the structure of the Champlain Towers South condominium started failing about three weeks before the catastrophe.
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Strong winds struck an outdoor section of the venue, causing the structure to partially collapse.
Noun
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Nations do not build cathedrals, win wars, or put things into orbit through a collection of talented individuals pursuing their own agendas.
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In the meantime, Smith is banned from the cathedral.
Noun
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The World's Fair, as it's also known, introduced millions of people to inventions, architecture and ideas that still influence our lives today.
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The goal is to develop a hypersonic glide body that is simpler than current designs, with a modular architecture and a manufacturing-first approach intended to enable rapid scaling while reducing production costs.
Noun
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Leiter said the final destination of the framework is peace between the two countries.
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The export ban and subsequent negotiations with Anthropic underscored the lack of a consistent regulatory framework around AI, even as the technology advances rapidly and the US tries to stay ahead of global competitors like China.
Cite this Entry
“Edifice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/edifice. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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