1
as in destroying
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 demolishing
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
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Recent Examples of tearing down
Removing a dam, however, is rarely as simple as tearing down concrete.
—
Radina Gigova, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Crews started tearing down what's left of the building Saturday.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Elijah Chatman’s corresponding release made clear that this is Harbaugh tearing down the Giants’ defensive tackle position nearly to the studs.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Notably, the same kids host a show dedicated to tearing down everything their parents stand for.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Among Republicans, 65% support tearing down the East Wing of the White House to make room for a ballroom.
—Emily Guskin, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
To mitigate this, staff proposed a adding a demolition-control ordinance to the amendment to keep people from simply tearing down houses.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Human Rights Watch said authorities have taken sweeping steps to curb religious practice, including tearing down churches and crosses, blocking gatherings at unregistered churches and seizing religious materials not approved by the state.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Workers were tearing down the court at the near-empty United Center late Sunday afternoon after Michigan’s win over Tennessee when a roar erupted from the nearby media workroom.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Radina Gigova, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
Crews started tearing down what's left of the building Saturday.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Elijah Chatman’s corresponding release made clear that this is Harbaugh tearing down the Giants’ defensive tackle position nearly to the studs.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Notably, the same kids host a show dedicated to tearing down everything their parents stand for.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Among Republicans, 65% support tearing down the East Wing of the White House to make room for a ballroom.
—Emily Guskin, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
To mitigate this, staff proposed a adding a demolition-control ordinance to the amendment to keep people from simply tearing down houses.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Human Rights Watch said authorities have taken sweeping steps to curb religious practice, including tearing down churches and crosses, blocking gatherings at unregistered churches and seizing religious materials not approved by the state.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Workers were tearing down the court at the near-empty United Center late Sunday afternoon after Michigan’s win over Tennessee when a roar erupted from the nearby media workroom.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing down
Verb
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It was compounded when a West Contra Costa storage unit caught fire, destroying Alvin’s belongings, their mother testified.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Truly domesticating bees required a hive with movable frames, one that would allow beekeepers to examine their bees and harvest honey without destroying the colony.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The plan involves demolishing the building and constructing a near-replica on the same Beatties Ford Road footprint.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
-
Indeed, back in the 1990s and 2000s, municipalities across the country were happily demolishing Brutalist eyesores made to house the poor.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Two runners scored, ruining Tech ace Nijaree Canady’s shutout.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
The Los Angeles Dodgers are ruining baseball.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Twenty-four Broadway shows will hope to nab at least one win Sunday across the 26 Tony categories, which can mean the difference between keeping the doors open and pulling down the curtain.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
In January, a protester scaled the balcony of the Iranian embassy in London, pulling down the official national flag and brandishing the pre-revolution lion and sun flag.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Verb
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The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
The carp have already shifted Mississippi River ecosystems by crowding out native fish, devastating some areas.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Renowned for his defense-shattering runs, vision, and dribbling, his time at FC Barcelona was legendary.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Those teams already are wrecking the owners’ claims that baseball lacks competitive balance.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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Junk yards and auto wrecking services will soon be paying $354 instead of $273 for their new license, and secondhand dealers will see reduced fees — paying $354 instead of $480.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Video shows a gang of Pokémon card thieves smashing display cases at a New Jersey hobby store and filling a trash bag with thousands of dollars worth of collectibles, according to police.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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In 2016, voters were asked to choose between a populist candidate dogged by questions about his integrity, judgment, decency, civility, empathy, and respect for everyone from complete strangers to his own wife, and an overqualified, glass-ceiling-smashing woman.—
Shannon A. Mullen,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tearing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing%20down. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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