razing

present participle of raze
1
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of an entire city block razed by a terrible fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

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 razing Co-founder Ray Bobbitt, a local face of the project, has floated the idea of razing the former A’s ballpark and replacing it with a smaller stadium, plus a hotel, retail storefronts and nightlife venues, in addition to housing. Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 13 July 2026 In recent weeks, Lebanon proved to be a particularly sensitive flashpoint, with Israel continuing attacks in southern Lebanon and its ground troops razing towns and villages. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 The historic designation effectively saved the building from demolition, but only for three years, at which point the brothers were no longer bound by any restrictions on razing the home to the ground. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2026 Mertensotto Field While the new municipal campus is at the same site as the current city hall building, new construction would include razing the baseball field known as Mertensotto Field at Civic Center Park. Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 25 May 2026 Israel is razing and looting homes and has vowed to prevent hundreds of thousands of residents, predominantly Shiites, though also members of other religious communities, from returning. Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026 And what a voice — what an instrument of razing and of raising. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 May 2026 In June 2024, it was officially named a cultural-historic landmark, preventing Milstein and Bank from razing it. Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 27 Apr. 2026 The bulk of people experiencing emergency levels of hunger live in Haiti’s northwest region, including Artibonite, which gangs have mercilessly attacked in recent years, razing communities and destroying farmland. ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for razing
Verb
  • After flying toward a naval target over the Black Sea, the aircraft launched one of the supersonic missiles from a stand-off distance exceeding 120 kilometers, successfully destroying its target.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
  • Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigators are probing a destructive fire that ripped through a Sun Valley strip mall early Sunday morning, destroying a beloved family-run market.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • Beyond the environmental costs, demolishing and hauling away the remnants of huge buildings is especially expensive in dense cities such as New York.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • This project, which is under review by the city, proposes demolishing the long-defunct Kmart building and bringing residences, shops and a new Publix to the plaza.
    Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Plus, one of the biggest things that holds people back from DIY is a fear of ruining their home, but that’s virtually impossible with peel-and-stick wallpaper.
    Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 13 July 2026
  • Clothes moths are indoor pests notorious for ruining the best threads in any closet.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • Long-distance backpacking is having a moment, and readers planning a first thru-hike want to know how to prepare without wrecking their body, their gear budget or their trip.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026
  • Most of the peril comes with dangerous ship-wrecking moments, including one that implies the death of Moana's relative, while our heroine herself almost drowns on her first voyage from land.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • SoCal’s housing market growth SpaceX’s record-shattering IPO has unleashed a wave of high-end home shoppers poised to reshape Southern California’s already tight coastal housing markets.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • Instead, Trump talks about devastating Iran’s infrastructure – hitting bridges and power plants.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Over 850 wildfires are currently devastating Canada, as reported by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • Stacking layers like a gourmet burger is the secret behind smashing efficiency and stability records.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
  • Djokovic became so frustrated that he was given a code violation warning for smashing a racket, before eventually hauling himself over the line.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Razing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/razing. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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