Synonyms of tear down

tear down

verb

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

• destroy
• ruin
• demolish
• shatter
• wreck
• devastate
• overcome
• pull down
• smash
• damage
• waste
• rub out
• desolate
• cream
• total
• extinguish
• vaporize
• annihilate
• mar
• erode
• pulverize
• decimate
• do in
• ravage
• raze
• win (against)
• defeat
• triumph (over)
• cripple
• prevail (over)
• kill
• break
• best
• crush
• nuke
• blast
• sweep (away)
• wear (away)
• remove
• cut down
• wrack
• dismantle
• take down
• blow up
• wash out
• subdue
• wipe out
• injure
• lick
• master
• harm
• spoil
• deteriorate
• trim
• impair
• conquer
• disintegrate
• scotch
• surmount
• blot out
• rout
• dissolve
• whip
• kill off
• stamp (out)
• dynamite
• thrash
• mow (down)
• mutilate
• eradicate
• beat
• sack
• slaughter
• disfigure
• snuff (out)
• vitiate
• havoc
• mangle
• overmatch
• scour
• take out
• undo
• fell
• root (out)
• assassinate
• gut
• clobber
• overbear
• disassemble
• deface
• obliterate
• massacre
• plunder
• exterminate
• murder
• loot
• trounce
• expunge
• unmake
• liquidate
• skunk
• drub
• slay
• extirpate
• execute
• wallop
• efface
• trample
• butcher
• trash
• dilapidate
• dispatch
• despoil
• pillage
• zap
• unbuild
• vandalize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• set up
• build
• put up
• construct
• raise
• patch
• repair
• erect
• create
• rear
• fix
• bring about
• produce
• form
• make
• found
• shape
• mend
• manufacture
• invent
• establish
• assemble
• fashion
• protect
• forge
• organize
• mold
• frame
• constitute
• save
• preserve
• revamp
• fabricate
• institute
• doctor
• recondition
• conserve
• restore
• rebuild
• reconstruct
• father
• remodel
• renovate

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

• demolish
• pull down
• raze
• level
• wipe out
• unbuild
• destroy
• blow up
• dynamite
• overturn
• eradicate
• finish
• ruin
• waste
• wreck
• obliterate
• abolish
• total
• crack up
• ravage
• decimate
• smash
• flatten
• extirpate
• annihilate
• pulverize
• dissolve
• unmake
• scourge
• devour
• devastate
• do in
• crush
• dash

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• build
• put up
• construct
• raise
• erect
• restore
• rebuild
• renew
• form
• create
• make
• shape
• manufacture
• renovate
• fashion
• forge
• fabricate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tear down

Colorado eventually won, though, allowing fans to rush the field and, as is customary, tear down the goalposts while celebrating the spooky home victory. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 Oct. 2026

Estrogen puts the brakes on the demo crew by capping how much gets torn down and keeps the building crew ramped up to finish the rebuild. — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 27 Oct. 2026

The city already owns a nearby lot and other parcels and wants to tear down the Willis house for the public road expansion. — CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026

What iFixit found The best clue so far comes from iFixit, which tore down the Duo over the weekend. — Lena Borrelli, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026