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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tearing down
Some agitators—likely external infiltrators—pushed the protesters forward, tearing down barricades as chants intensified.
—
Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Seconds after the anchors thanked Pulte for appearing and handed things off to Squawk on the Street, the production crew were tearing down the set and prepping for the opening bell.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
But the new private terminal is winning their support, with the backing of historians and preservationists who have been fighting to maintain South Florida’s aviation legacy in a region known for tearing down buildings.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
The Raiders traded him to the Cowboys midway through the 2018 campaign, as the team was tearing down the roster.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
In Fort Worth’s Stop Six neighborhood, a $35 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods grant is tearing down old public housing and replacing it with new homes, better schools, and streets that can handle a heavy thunderstorm without shutting the neighborhood down.
—Lenwood V. Long, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Workers have begun tearing down the former Sacramento Bee offices on 21st Street, once an expansive and bustling complex, making way for housing projects at the site that served as the newspaper’s home for nearly 70 years.
—Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Dramatic video from the Himalayan village of Dharali, Uttarakhand state, shows the wall of water, mud and debris tearing down the mountainside and through the village, destroying the homes and businesses in its path.
—Taylor Ward, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025
Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Seconds after the anchors thanked Pulte for appearing and handed things off to Squawk on the Street, the production crew were tearing down the set and prepping for the opening bell.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
But the new private terminal is winning their support, with the backing of historians and preservationists who have been fighting to maintain South Florida’s aviation legacy in a region known for tearing down buildings.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
The Raiders traded him to the Cowboys midway through the 2018 campaign, as the team was tearing down the roster.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
In Fort Worth’s Stop Six neighborhood, a $35 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods grant is tearing down old public housing and replacing it with new homes, better schools, and streets that can handle a heavy thunderstorm without shutting the neighborhood down.
—Lenwood V. Long, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Workers have begun tearing down the former Sacramento Bee offices on 21st Street, once an expansive and bustling complex, making way for housing projects at the site that served as the newspaper’s home for nearly 70 years.
—Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Dramatic video from the Himalayan village of Dharali, Uttarakhand state, shows the wall of water, mud and debris tearing down the mountainside and through the village, destroying the homes and businesses in its path.
—Taylor Ward, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing down
Verb
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The military has also been targeting and destroying high-rise buildings surrounding displacement camps, crowding Gaza City’s residents into ever-smaller spaces.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Ultimately, North was found guilty of destroying official documents, accepting a home security system as a gift and obstructing Congress in 1989.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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An image taken on August 19 shows Israeli excavators and bulldozers demolishing buildings in Zeitoun.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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About 90% of the former Spring Hill Mall is gone and work demolishing the final anchor store set to begin in the next couple of weeks, officials said.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And broadcasting your irritation too loudly risks ruining the atmosphere for everyone else just as much as their yelling or off-key chants.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
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Just as Alexis Bellino flubbed her second chance by aligning herself too closely with Johnny J, an Ed Hardy snapback that refuses to die, Gretchen is ruining hers by trying to relitigate things from the Obama Administration.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Glassdoor report doesn’t dive into that, but FlexJobs tackled the topic in January, finding that nurse practitioner was the top remote side hustle for 2024, pulling down $56 an hour.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
26 Aug. 2025
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An impact player on both sides of the ball from Day 1, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound all-state pick is back for a third varsity letter after reeling in 37 balls for 674 yards on offense and pulling down two more passes for picks on defense.—
Matt Schubert,
Denver Post,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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From delivering disaster relief during devastating recent floods to investing in food banks, the business’ presence extends far beyond its checkout lines.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
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While the negative human-health effects of smoke from the Glass Fire have been well documented, the toxic brown blanket covering the Napa Valley is also devastating bee populations, said local beekeeper John Sevigny.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Despite the ongoing discourse of economic slowdown, tariff threats and interest rate concerns, the richest Americans are shattering wealth records.—
Forbes Press Releases,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The result is nonetheless shattering, for the characters and the audience.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Adam Berry/Getty Images What To Know Phoenix police said in a release to media that a 19-year-old was detained after wrecking a memorial for Kirk at the office of Turning Point USA, the conservative campus group that Kirk co-founded.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Despite the mixed reception, the money counter was an earnest attempt to keep the show running on schedule, preventing one or two self-indulgent speakers from wrecking the running time.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Shoplifting became a political lighting rod, and videos of thieves smashing store windows and grabbing merchandise rocketed across the news and social media as a symbol of a breakdown across cities.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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While Bills Mafia holds dear traditions like smashing into tables and dousing a superfan in condiments before games, the group also developed a philanthropic bent.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tearing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing%20down. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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