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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of torn down
The last commercial tenant — a freestanding McDonald’s — was torn down in January 2025.
—
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
The court in fact was being torn down immediately after the KU game.
—Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
By 1753, the lot held an inn and a tavern, but about two centuries after the garden was created, the area was slated to be torn down.
—Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
First, though, everything must be torn down and rebuilt into something else.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
The building was torn down in 2003, but Preservation Chicago still considered its efforts to protect the building a win.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
And Preservation Chicago expressed worry that it might be torn down all over again.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Bryan Tony, executive director of the Dallas Housing Coalition, said rents for low-income units can increase as new renters come in, and some smaller communities get torn down and redeveloped.
—Neal Franklin, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
It has been closed and torn down a while.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
The court in fact was being torn down immediately after the KU game.
—Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
By 1753, the lot held an inn and a tavern, but about two centuries after the garden was created, the area was slated to be torn down.
—Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
First, though, everything must be torn down and rebuilt into something else.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
The building was torn down in 2003, but Preservation Chicago still considered its efforts to protect the building a win.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
And Preservation Chicago expressed worry that it might be torn down all over again.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Bryan Tony, executive director of the Dallas Housing Coalition, said rents for low-income units can increase as new renters come in, and some smaller communities get torn down and redeveloped.
—Neal Franklin, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
It has been closed and torn down a while.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn down
Verb
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The fire destroyed more than 160 structures and charred 25,000 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Her clothes and makeup were destroyed in the damage.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The strip mall was cleared of commercial tenants and demolished in September 2021, leaving many in the surrounding neighborhood wondering when real estate development would fill in the empty land.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The Power House in Zion has already been demolished.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Depending on how bad the pest ruined plants in a particular latitude, the farmer either made it financially, or borrowed more from the bank to eat during the winter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
-
But this war may well have ruined the chances for such diplomatic options for many years to come.—
Matthew Bunn,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sebastian Lathan had 3 points for Westwood, but pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Mar. 2026
-
And for Nebraska, a bad night can look like its loss to Iowa last month, where the team pulled down fewer offensive boards than Sam Hoiberg has letters in his first name.—
Peter Keating,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That consensus has since been smashed.—
Ariel David,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Mar. 2026
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With one out and one, Australia’s Rixon Wingrove smashed a line drive to right-center field.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Texas State infielder Aiyana Coleman wrecked ULM's shot at a Sun Belt regular-season title in 2025, recording two back-breaking home runs in the final series of the year.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
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Kim Gartner, whose nephew's property was wrecked in storms overnight in Kankakee, described softball-sized hail that shattered car windows.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Residents helped to clear away rubble caused by the blast, which appeared to hit an apartment block, as vehicles sat covered in dust with their windows shattered and rubble strewn across the road.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
13 Mar. 2026
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Most impressively, the program shattered traditional timelines by delivering a flight-ready system in just eight months.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The world has just lost an enormous beam of light, and we are devastated.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Tens of thousands of giant sequoia seedlings and saplings are sprouting in a Sierra Nevada grove devastated by the 2021 KNP Complex fire.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torn down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torn%20down. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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