TEAR DOWN Synonyms: 170 Similar and Opposite Words

tear down

verb

Definition of tear down

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 tear down Two vacant structures would be torn down to make way for the 24,850-square-foot building anchored by john greene Realtor and john greene Commercial. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026 Most of the symbol is believed to have been torn down by patriots at the onset of the revolution, though the surviving third remains at the church. — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 8 July 2026 The French revolutionaries tore down almost all of society’s old structures—including the calendar, the churches, and the school system. — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 People can be forgiven for questioning whether Amtrak’s bold new vision will ever come to life, given that more than a dozen Penn redevelopment plans have been proposed and abandoned since the original station was torn down in the 1960s. — Andy Byford, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tear down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down

Verb

But there have been no exact numbers of how many missiles and drones Iran had when the war began or how many have since been used or destroyed.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Severe droughts and searing heat across vast swathes of southern Europe destroyed large parts of the olive oil harvest, culminating in a dizzying price rally that shocked industry veterans and consumers alike.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 17 July 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

Floyd is no longer attracted to his wife, has trouble connecting with his teen-age stepson, and owes tens of thousands in taxes—a set of stressors that are ruining his health.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
That would ruin a good thing, apparently, and Foerster credited Puni for not only playing through a knee injury last fall but overcoming early-career growing pains.

— Cam Inman, Mercury News, 20 July 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

Six years ago, the signing of the Abraham Accords was dismissed by skeptics as a fragile, fair-weather agreement, bound to shatter at the first sign of Middle Eastern turbulence.

— Liron Zaslansky, semafor.com, 22 July 2026
For many Colombians, the attack on Uribe Turbay shattered the belief that the country had largely left behind the era when presidential candidates routinely became targets of political violence.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026

Definition of shatter

Verb

Those findings may sound like proof the job wrecks your hormones.

— Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
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

Definition of wreck

Verb

We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan, one of the most iconic, influential and deeply loved figures in our club’s history.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Recently, Rodríguez was photographed in a once-unthinkable meeting with uniformed IDF brass overseeing Israeli rescue efforts in the wake of two powerful earthquakes that have devastated Venezuela’s coastal region.

— Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026

Definition of devastate

Verb

This actor, Yannis Kokiasmenos, came in for half a day and is holding his own, smashing this scene.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Many have labeled the match dull, with neither team scoring until Spain’s Ferran Torres smashed the ball into the back of the net in the 106th minute to defeat reigning champs Argentina.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 July 2026

Definition of smash

Verb

Democrats have been struggling to overcome disarray in other messy primaries across this year’s midterm calendar.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Ding said optical interconnects are becoming essential for overcoming the scalability limits of conventional server architectures.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026

Definition of overcome

Browse Nearby Words

tearaways

tear down

teardrop

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“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of tear down

verb

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