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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tear down
Some buildings in Kigali have been torn down, though people associated with them didn’t want to comment for fear of government retaliation.
—
ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The cost to tear down and rebuild Gary Works with electric arc furnace technology would exceed the estimates in the report, according to the company.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Dozens of homes on either side of the road were torn down to make way for the road.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Some critics in recent weeks have complained that the Warriors need to tear down the whole team and start over.
—Sports Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The cost to tear down and rebuild Gary Works with electric arc furnace technology would exceed the estimates in the report, according to the company.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Dozens of homes on either side of the road were torn down to make way for the road.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Some critics in recent weeks have complained that the Warriors need to tear down the whole team and start over.
—Sports Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down
Verb
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Toxins build up and start to destroy the kidneys and liver.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Renowned for its beauty and ability to attract butterflies, butterfly bush (Buddleia) can spread quickly and outcompete and destroy native plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Chappaquiddick would have demolished the career of most, but not Ted, and not in Kennedy country.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
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Last fall, a portion of the White House East Wing was demolished to make way for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Talley went long with an 8-iron into a back bunker on the 12th, the hole that ruined Jordan Spieth's chances of a repeat Masters victory in 2016.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The multiple mistresses ruined his image; the countless injuries derailed his golf game.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In this case, the arc of the season was primed for Batula to be the victim rising from the ashes of her divorce, only for her recent romantic indiscretions to shatter that fantasy.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
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March 2026 was a historic month for temperatures in the United States, fueled by an extraordinary and prolonged heat wave that shattered temperature records across much of the West, according to a new report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).—
Dan Peck,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump's rocky relationship with NATO dates back to his first term, but the war with Iran has wrecked any remaining foundation, NPR's Franco Ordoñez says.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2026
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One is a search for stability, driven by a horror of chaos and by memories of the mayhem that wrecked his childhood and banished him to the cave.—
Michael Sheridan,
Vanity Fair,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Florida’s citrus industry has been in a steady decline the past 25 years because of Huanglongbing (also known as HLB and citrus greening disease), a bacterial disease that devastates citrus trees.—
Jim Turner,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
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Last year saw 13 named storms, including five hurricanes, most notably Category 5 Melissa, which devastated Jamaica.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
9 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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But Neuer helped Freiburg build the 2-0 lead that Bayern had to overcome.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Denver overcame 30 points from Toumani Camara, who hit eight of the Blazers' franchise-record 25 3-pointers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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