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
The properties sit across a cove from where Michael Jordan once tore down his own mansion (presumably to build a bigger one — as one does).
—
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
On Monday, construction started to tear down the wall, remove the sidewalk and remove trees.
—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
The British Government is desperate to make progress in tearing down trade barriers.
—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
Survivors and victims’ families were allowed to go inside the nightclub one final time on the week of the massacre’s ninth anniversary last year before it was torn down in March to make way for the memorial.
—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
On Monday, construction started to tear down the wall, remove the sidewalk and remove trees.
—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
The British Government is desperate to make progress in tearing down trade barriers.
—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
Survivors and victims’ families were allowed to go inside the nightclub one final time on the week of the massacre’s ninth anniversary last year before it was torn down in March to make way for the memorial.
—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down
Verb
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National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, the brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, said on Sunday that more than 12,000 people have been displaced by the earthquakes and 774 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including hospitals.
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There's nothing more quintessential to being a kid than playing Little League baseball, but on July Fourth, 2025, along with so much more, the Little League fields of Hill Country were destroyed, along with the innocence of thousands of kids who live here.
Verb
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The East Wing of the White House was demolished suddenly in October 2025, and construction at the site, which will be the location of a new 22,000-square-foot ballroom, has continued through mid-2026.
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Just months later, in October, the East Wing had been demolished without notice to make way for the new ballroom.
Verb
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Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
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Explosions had all but ruined my hearing.
Verb
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Many windows are shattered or boarded over with decaying plywood.
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Hundreds of records have already been shattered, with more expected as the heat intensifies today through Thursday.
Verb
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My polishing pads are always getting wrecked, used, or stolen by my dog (or all of those things).
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As many little heartbeats as possible, just running around, wrecking stuff in the house.
Verb
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The project has sparked outrage because of the location’s pristine nature and unique habitat that would be irreversibly devastated, according to environmentalists.
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BangkokReuters — The family of a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was found in a suitcase in Pattaya said they were devastated by her death, for which an Australian man has been arrested and charged with murder.
Verb
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Powell is accused of smashing the mug over the victim's head.
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The van’s windows were smashed and a lone orange traffic cone sat on the hood.
Verb
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Rather than be benched, Devers batted cleanup, overcame an 0-for-3 start, and singled up the middle in the seventh to score Bryce Eldridge, who narrowly beat a tag at the plate for a 3-1 lead.
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Its highly specialized strategy likely evolved to take advantage of the ant’s natural aggression and then overcome its defenses; the slingshot mechanism flings the ant from the foraging trail, reducing the risk that the spider will be swarmed by other workers, the researchers hypothesized.
Cite this Entry
“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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