tore down

past tense of tear down
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tore down Department of Homeland Security contractors tore down the first of the three trees on July 27. Michael Loria, USA Today, 30 July 2026 The French revolutionaries tore down almost all of society’s old structures—including the calendar, the churches, and the school system. David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Piepenbrink encouraged people to visit the Crete Township Community Center on Cottage Grove Avenue and Monee Road to view photos from a 1952 fire that tore down the Balmoral Park grandstand during renovations. Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 The president's team also repaired fountains throughout the city, tore down the White House's East Wing to make way for a ballroom, attempted to close the Kennedy Center for renovations, and drew up plans for a gigantic triumphal arch across the river from the capital in Virginia. Joe Walsh, CBS News, 19 June 2026 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 Protesters tore down and disabled enforcement cameras and painted the policy as a civil liberties issue. Justin Worland, Time, 3 June 2026 Clashes intensified this weekend as police with riot shields and officers on horseback pushed back demonstrators, some of whom tore down barricades, hurled objects and set tires ablaze outside the 1,000-bed facility. Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 Attendance diminished in recent years as the Wizards tore down their roster in the hopes of accumulating draft picks in trades and losing enough games to win early picks via the annual draft lottery. Josh Robbins, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tore down
Verb
  • Most of the hospitals are taken over by gangs or have been destroyed, and … the economy’s not good.
    Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Two grandparents and their 3-year-old grandson were killed after multiple Russian drones destroyed their home in the Brovary district of Kyiv region, northeast of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, early Saturday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, a Russian glide bomb demolished six floors of a 10-story apartment block, killing one person and wounding 16 others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The facade will join a growing list of other historic sites that have been steadily demolished around Charlotte over the decades.
    Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Atlassian is up over 30% this morning after the collaboration software maker, thought to be ruined by AI, reported a great quarter.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • With baseball ruined, the Dodgers will look to avoid their second consecutive series loss via the sweep on Wednesday, sending superstar starter Eric Lauer to the mound against Shota Imanaga.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Frustrated, Rhodes pulled down Punk’s kneepad and continued to target the injured knee.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That trend continued Friday, as Allen pulled down a one-handed snag from quarterback Patrick Mahomes during 11-on-11s that served as the day’s top highlight.
    Jesse Newell, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • More than 180 bullets pierced, cracked or shattered windows in six buildings on campus.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The group shattered windows, stole or attempted to steal cash, register drawers and safes.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Resilience wrecked, but Blue Ghost aced its touchdown, becoming the first private spacecraft to do so.
    Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • This group of men did stuff that hurt others to often terrible degrees but also wrecked themselves and their careers.
    Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Melissa Fresses, Maribel's sister, said she was devastated by the news.
    Laura Fay, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Anny Liu of Altadena was introduced to Jackie and Shadow in January 2025 — the month the Palisades and Eaton fires devastated swaths of Los Angeles County.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • When Rigo arrived and asked about the minivan, he was shown a video of the crime scene being picked up and smashed to pieces.
    Lauren Clark, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • At a red light, one officer rushed out of the patrol car, smashed the driver’s-side window and pulled the driver to the ground.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tore down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tore%20down. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster