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 area increased to 80% by 2018, according to state media, after numerous buildings and city walls were restored, and 135 temporary structures inside the compound were torn down.
—
Fred He, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Once demolition got underway, Jonathan updated that the entire East Wing was torn down in two days.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2025
When the country’s noblest values are being torn down with a wrecking ball, Gunn is earnestly telling stories that try to build them up, insisting that in a time of rising despair, hope is still punk rock.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Just 28% of Americans support it, with 15% strongly supporting the East Wing being torn down for a ballroom, the poll found.
—Emily Guskin, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2025
Shortly after the release of this movie, the real Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital was torn down.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
After the fall of Hungary’s Communist dictatorship, dozens of decommissioned monuments were sent to Budapest’s Memento Park, including the boots from an enormous statue of Stalin, which had been torn down by irate crowds.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Even if the case proceeds, most of the East Wing has already been torn down, making a work stoppage largely symbolic.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Now the East Wing has been largely torn down.
—Marco Hernandez, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Fred He, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Once demolition got underway, Jonathan updated that the entire East Wing was torn down in two days.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2025
When the country’s noblest values are being torn down with a wrecking ball, Gunn is earnestly telling stories that try to build them up, insisting that in a time of rising despair, hope is still punk rock.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Just 28% of Americans support it, with 15% strongly supporting the East Wing being torn down for a ballroom, the poll found.
—Emily Guskin, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2025
Shortly after the release of this movie, the real Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital was torn down.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
After the fall of Hungary’s Communist dictatorship, dozens of decommissioned monuments were sent to Budapest’s Memento Park, including the boots from an enormous statue of Stalin, which had been torn down by irate crowds.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Even if the case proceeds, most of the East Wing has already been torn down, making a work stoppage largely symbolic.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Now the East Wing has been largely torn down.
—Marco Hernandez, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn down
Verb
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Among them was Eilene Oken, 38, who walked through what used to be her neighbourhood, only to find her home completely destroyed.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Just under two million Palestinians—virtually the entire population of Gaza—have been displaced since October 2023, many repeatedly, and Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90 percent of homes in the Strip.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Bonner's father worked at the Product Development Center — part of which Bonner demolished to make way for the new World Headquarters building.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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The ballroom project has stirred controversy, as the East Wing, home of the First Lady’s staff and long a grand entrance for White House events, was demolished to make room for the new ballroom.—
Kate Wolffe
October 30,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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An old fur coat or feather stole could also be ruined.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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Cash is king right now, Hsia said, and the AFJ is matching up to $1 million in donations that will go toward things such as new roofs for houses whose roofs were blown off and new furniture after many people's belongings were soaked through and ruined.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, questions about the Pike statue in the nation's capital were raised years before it was pulled down.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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Post finished with 15 points and made a trio of 3-pointers, while Jackson-Davis pulled down 10 rebounds.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Other Black residents’ windshields were smashed.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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Last night, tech giants like AMD smashed expectations on AI chip demand, and Palantir reported another quarter of strong growth.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Phillips croons about a mother’s bond with her child as Swinton walks off, her character freshly wrecked by a visit with her son in prison.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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The Edmund Fitzgerald remains the largest of all the ships wrecked or sunk by bad weather in the Great Lakes.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The strength to sit with what shattered before building what’s next.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
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Over the years, he's developed a reputation for flying vintage airplanes, even after suffering a near-death plane crash that left his right ankle and pelvis shattered and his back broken in March 2015.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Residents of Kingston, Jamaica, were already dealing with floodwaters on Friday, as concerns are growing that the impact could be the worst since Hurricane Gilbert devastated the island in 1988.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
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This happened when Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina last year.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torn down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torn%20down. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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