1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
vandals tore down the wooden fence blocking the entrance to the beach
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to demolish
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
the new owners apparently bought the house just to tear it down and build a lavish mansion in its place
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tear down
Now, residents and Mayor Eddie Melton are making efforts to revitalize the city — the childhood home of Michael Jackson and his brothers — by tearing down blighted buildings and pursuing a ten-year redevelopment plan.
—
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
Effectively, this extension gives AT&T Stadium a lifespan that will last at least 46 years, as long as the Cowboys decide not to tear down and rebuild on the same site.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Right now, government is being torn down, rather than built up.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Some buildings in Kigali have been torn down, though people associated with them didn’t want to comment for fear of government retaliation.
—Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
Effectively, this extension gives AT&T Stadium a lifespan that will last at least 46 years, as long as the Cowboys decide not to tear down and rebuild on the same site.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Right now, government is being torn down, rather than built up.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Some buildings in Kigali have been torn down, though people associated with them didn’t want to comment for fear of government retaliation.
—Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down
Verb
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Similarly, corruption or physical damage might destroy a file’s header, which contains its identifying metadata, while leaving other parts of it untouched.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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The Jeep crashed into a concrete barrier after clipping the other car, destroying part of the barrier, Adams County Fire Rescue officials said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Gil Rivera, director of building, economic and community development, said Target has already submitted permits to demolish the current structure.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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The hotel building is expected to be demolished within the next month.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
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Who knew that an attempt to ruin Iran’s navy and army would result in the demilitarization of the West?—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The operation shattered Hezbollah's communications network and became the benchmark in Israel for a strike that fundamentally changed the battlefield.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
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Democrats Beto O'Rourke in 2018 in Texas and Jaime Harrison in 2020 in South Carolina shattered fundraising records and still lost to their Republican rivals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Then the game-wrecking interior defensive lineman had a down year coming off surgery for a dislocated elbow.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Cincinnati has been seeking a young, game-wrecking defensive tackle for nearly a decade.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
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The civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces — now in its third year — continues to devastate economic activity, displace millions, and fuel inflation.—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Lyrids are known for producing bright, fast-moving meteors that tend to lack persistent trails, but have the potential to spawn spectacular fireballs as larger chunks of Comet Thatcher smash into Earth's atmosphere.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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In footage shared by the BBC on X, Medvedev, who suffered a 6-0 6-0 loss during the 49-minute match, was filmed smashing up his tennis racket six times and angrily tossing it across the court.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Braves couldn’t overcome a poor start from Reynaldo López and saw their six-game winning streak fall by the wayside in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday at Nationals Park.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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That power production has overcome incredibly poor luck so far this season.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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