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
as in demolishing
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
the developer razed the old school building and built a high-rise condominium complex
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of razing
The thundering early morning blast at Accurate Energetic Systems reverberated across the surrounding community Friday, razing an entire building on the plant’s sprawling campus and leading to a painstaking search that ultimately found no survivors.
—
Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Here was an example of humans’ chopping, razing, paving, crushing ways that have mortally wounded the natural world.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
The county’s preliminary plan calls for razing it, except for the portion where the supervisors hold their public meetings.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Eventually the state agreed with residents’ petitions, purchasing and razing hundreds of homes, the property itself becoming part of New York City’s network of parks.
—Elizabeth Rush, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
The university has spent the last few months razing the old stadium.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 18 Nov. 2024
In 2019, the cottage faced an uncertain future as the new owners of the land at 239 Franklin Road, where it was then located, appeared interested in razing the cottage to make space for new construction.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2024
Environmental ministries, for example, will need to put more resources toward stopping cattle ranchers from razing the rainforest, whereas agriculture agencies might have to fund more sea patrols to prevent overfishing.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Here was an example of humans’ chopping, razing, paving, crushing ways that have mortally wounded the natural world.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
The county’s preliminary plan calls for razing it, except for the portion where the supervisors hold their public meetings.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Eventually the state agreed with residents’ petitions, purchasing and razing hundreds of homes, the property itself becoming part of New York City’s network of parks.
—Elizabeth Rush, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
The university has spent the last few months razing the old stadium.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 18 Nov. 2024
In 2019, the cottage faced an uncertain future as the new owners of the land at 239 Franklin Road, where it was then located, appeared interested in razing the cottage to make space for new construction.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2024
Environmental ministries, for example, will need to put more resources toward stopping cattle ranchers from razing the rainforest, whereas agriculture agencies might have to fund more sea patrols to prevent overfishing.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for razing
Verb
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The former screen siren was fined nearly $25,000 in 2008 after being convicted of provoking discrimination and racial hatred for writing that Muslims are destroying her country.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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Block destruction is one of Minter’s defensive pillars, and the Chargers have not been destroying blocks on some of these explosive runs.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Barner holds his arms parallel to the ground and swings them side to side while slowly stomping forward like Godzilla demolishing a city.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Often, demolishing a former shopping mall can be easier for builders who might then decide to build luxury housing that does not address the current affordability crisis.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Oct. 2025
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Since 2021, Spotify has offered an alternative app for kids to listen to music without ruining their parents recommendations.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One raid saw masked federal agents repelling from Black Hawk helicopters and wrecking an apartment building.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
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The wrecking-ball style is the way King played even at Longview (Texas) High, where his father was the coach, and didn’t coddle or protect his son, as Dickey remembers.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Two men left and fired into the restaurant from the outside, shattering windows and striking two teenagers.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
14 Oct. 2025
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The crash’s giddy prequel, dramatic unfolding, and shattering aftermath—the Great Depression—has long provided compelling material for writers.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not even a month had passed since his big sister, Toraya, was shot and killed at an apartment complex in New Jersey, devastating the Reid family and shaking the Timberwolves organization to its core.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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Oil was discovered there in the 1920s, and the county went through booms and busts for decades, enriching wildcatters and devastating the landscape, until a lasting bust left Loving County a virtual wasteland with no running water, paved roads, schools, hospitals, or grocery stores.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Balmer reportedly scaled a wall outside the mansion in Harrisburg before smashing windows, throwing homemade incendiary devices and eventually entering himself.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
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The Vultee aircraft completed a flight from Los Angeles to New York in 11 hours and 34 minutes and 16 seconds, smashing the existing record of 12 hours for that distance.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Razing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/razing. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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