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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of razing
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
At the core of the MAGA project and Trumpism is disruption and destruction, the delegitimization and razing of institutions, and the brutalization of opponents.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
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
At the core of the MAGA project and Trumpism is disruption and destruction, the delegitimization and razing of institutions, and the brutalization of opponents.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for razing
Verb
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Strikes and artillery fire were reported across Nabatieh district, destroying homes and residential buildings, according to NNA.—
Caitlin Danaher,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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One video shows a surface to air missile hitting a drone but not destroying it; the drone crashes to the ground and explodes.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Indeed, many media observers—inside and outside the network—have gone so far as to suggest that demolishing the status quo seems to be central to Weiss’s mandate.—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
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In February 2024, police gave him and his wife minutes to pack before demolishing their home.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Historically, barrels of Madeira spent months crossing tropical oceans aboard ships, and merchants realized that the heat actually improved the wine rather than ruining it.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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The antics each week involved lovable Gilligan ruining a plan to get the gang rescued, but also ogling the bombshell Ginger (Tina Louise) and getting annoyed by Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus).—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Verb
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What is in tandem here is the exuberantly generative possibility of life itself (SCOBY, water) alongside the very synthetic polymers that are literally wrecking life on an individual and systemic level.—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
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Belt-Stubblefield did not stop and ended up wrecking his car.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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People in the crowd also took bats to five NYPD vehicles and jumped on them, shattering front and back windows, officials said.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
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Videos online showed Knicks fans stomping on Citi Bikes, climbing street lamps, shattering windows and attacking taxi cabs.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Verb
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But Saeta, which has been outfitting the team since coming to its rescue after the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake, has been struggling to keep up with demands, creating an opening for designers and other vendors selling unofficial merchandise.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
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The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The tension in these tracks are the binding agent for Jane’s fan base — the music is full of contradictions and incompatibilities smashing together that just feel like being young right now.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Last week, a group of people swarmed Noureddine Bitat's taxi, stomping on it and smashing its windshield.—
Kelsie Hoffman,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Razing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/razing. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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