1
as in destroys
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 demolishes
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 tears down
The body of the plane tears down the middle.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tears down
Verb
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Unfortunately, as with alcohol, gambling also destroys lives.—
Jim Nowlan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
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Israel routinely destroys equipment meant for reconstruction; Human Rights Watch found that Israel had destroyed more than 360 heavy machines — bulldozers, excavators, and factories producing asphalt and cement — in four different attacks in south Lebanon.—
Justin Salhani,
The Dial,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For more history, the Maya ruins all over the area never fail to surprise, but Tulum remains singular with the only major Mayan site built dramatically atop seaside cliff.—
Gina Góngora,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
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In games that matter, one bad inning — one weak link on the chain — ruins a whole game.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gravity pulls down particles, which then swirl back up with the smallest crosscurrent.—
Nashia Baker,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
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This is reached by a sliding door and has his and hers wardrobes, a TV mounted on the ceiling that pulls down for vertical viewing, and a queen-sized storage bed.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The series, based on a novel by Araminta Hall, delves into a crime that shatters a long-standing friendship among the three lead characters.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
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The glass shatters with a spray that shimmers in the lantern light.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The change launches biannual arguments about the practice, wrecks havoc on sleep and has inspired voters to go to California polls.—
Hannah Poukish,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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In a film like this, you’re ostensibly meant to root against the terror that the central characters wrecks on his victims.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kyiv residents endure long daily blackouts as Russia devastates the power system, leaving tower block dwellers freezing in apartments with no heat or light.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2026
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Exacerbating the problem, unpredictable rainfall cycling between drought and floods further devastates the region.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This weekend’s attack on Iran smashes through those limits altogether.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
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At one point, someone runs up behind the officer and smashes a snowball into the back of the cop’s head.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tears down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tears%20down. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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