1
as in destroyed
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 demolished
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 tore down
Falvey and Zoll got promotions off last year’s collapse, made no big offseason moves, tore down the roster months after picking up Baldelli’s option and then fired the manager when the team predictably limped to the finish line once the front office hoisted the white flag on July 31.
—
Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
There was also a large protest at UCSD on May 6, 2024, when authorities, at Khosla’s request, tore down a pro-Palestinian encampment on Library Walk, near Geisel Library.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
Because under the Biden administration, the FDA tore down nearly every safety regulation surrounding the drug.
—Lila Rose, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The occupiers tore down fences, carved new roads on the reserve and posted armed guards during their 41-day occupation, former Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker wrote at the time.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 7 Sep. 2025
The doc by Nim Shapira focuses on the street war that broke out between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups that tore down each other’s messages about the 250 hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 terror attack in Israel.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
James tore down the woodshed and devised a trellis system of wooden poles and metal pipes that could be expanded as the rose tree continued to grow.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
There was also a large protest at UCSD on May 6, 2024, when authorities, at Khosla’s request, tore down a pro-Palestinian encampment on Library Walk, near Geisel Library.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
Because under the Biden administration, the FDA tore down nearly every safety regulation surrounding the drug.
—Lila Rose, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The occupiers tore down fences, carved new roads on the reserve and posted armed guards during their 41-day occupation, former Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker wrote at the time.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 7 Sep. 2025
The doc by Nim Shapira focuses on the street war that broke out between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups that tore down each other’s messages about the 250 hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 terror attack in Israel.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
James tore down the woodshed and devised a trellis system of wooden poles and metal pipes that could be expanded as the rose tree continued to grow.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tore down
Verb
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Police and army inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a shot down Russian drone in the village of Wyryki-Wola, eastern Poland, on September 10, 2025.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Archaeologists believe the castle was either dismantled due to structural issues or destroyed by enemies.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The West Fond du Lac Avenue bar, which was once a popular hangout for Black musicians and Milwaukee police officers alike, was demolished in April.—
Mary Spicuzza,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The Jokake Inn closed in the late 1970s and was demolished, except for its Pueblo revival-style belfry towers, which were incorporated into The Phoenician.—
Douglas C. Towne,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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All the problems getting into the ground ruined the trip a bit.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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In 1950s Washington, the moral entrepreneurs were members of Congress and expert witnesses who labeled people Soviet collaborators and ruined many of their lives.—
Ron Barrett,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Fitzpatrick, who pulled down his first interception of the season, spent most of the game playing nickel cornerback.—
Omar Kelly
Updated October 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
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In a little more than two days, the surf pulled down eight unoccupied houses along the shoreline.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pine, Colorado — As massive granite outcroppings dotted with evergreen trees jutted skyward from the landscape of Colorado’s Southern Rockies on a warm Tuesday morning, the serenity of bird calls and a babbling creek was shattered by a radio call from a park ranger in distress.—
Andi Babineau,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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There’s really never been a performance like the one Joaquin Phoenix gives as Freddie Quell, a Navy vet who emerges from the war shattered and strange but who may have always been that way.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Atlanta Braves Speaking of injuries, the fragile nature of the human body really wrecked Brian Snitker’s swan song.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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America will be watching Monday night’s early game, perhaps in much the same way traffic can’t help but slow to watch two cars that have just wrecked.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Inter Milan footballing midfield maestro, and his wife Sinem, have teamed up to announce the creation of the Çalhanoğlu Forest, an initiative that will see 10,000 saplings (young trees) planted in the Aydın Province of Kuşadası, which was devastated by wildfires in June 2024.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Still, the damage is done, and Ka-young is devastated by the death of her grandmother.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This once-passing fad, never projected by the originators or detractors to make it this far, had smashed every measurable and monetizable metric over the last half century.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
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At least four people were killed and eight injured when a gunman in a pickup truck smashed through the doors of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Michigan during a Sunday service attended by hundreds, opened fire and set the building ablaze.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tore down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tore%20down. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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