1
as in to destroy
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 to demolish
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 tear down
Long-time residents may recall that there once were three single-family homes along Glen Flora Avenue and a cleaners before they were torn down for parking spaces.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The couple has been embroiled in a bureaucratic battle to tear down the historic home ever since.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 27 Apr. 2026
The Palmetto Group plans to tear down the Paradiso, the downtown hotel where his mother once worked.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2026
To mitigate this, staff proposed a adding a demolition-control ordinance to the amendment to keep people from simply tearing down houses.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The couple has been embroiled in a bureaucratic battle to tear down the historic home ever since.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 27 Apr. 2026
The Palmetto Group plans to tear down the Paradiso, the downtown hotel where his mother once worked.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2026
To mitigate this, staff proposed a adding a demolition-control ordinance to the amendment to keep people from simply tearing down houses.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down
Verb
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Thankfully, the Dark Sky movement is growing as more people become aware of the issue and learn about simple and cost-effective ways that can be embraced to reverse the course of destroying our night skies.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Radioactive clouds spread, causing panic as far away as Germany and Britain; millions of litres of milk were dumped; livestock was destroyed or banned from sale.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After six years of plans to redevelop the shuttered MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, the owners would like to demolish the building and build a data center on the property, according to city officials.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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In January, Publix closed its 40-year-old Palms store and by mid-April it was demolished to make way for a bigger, contemporary supermarket.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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Apparently, staff learned to wash their hands, but the roaches returned to ruin another inspector’s visit.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By 2025, the War on Terror had shattered entire nations and economies, displaced some 40 million citizens and directly and indirectly killed over four million.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
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But the illusion shatters when a stranger on the street recognizes the dog… as HER boyfriend Danny’s dog.—
William Earl,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That's what usually happens when the leaders wreck at Daytona and 'Dega.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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Two cars were wrecked and two people suffered injuries in a crash on busy Irving Park Road in the neighborhood of the same name early Monday morning.—
Kris Habermehl,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Experts feared that Asian economies — which imported 90% of the oil traversing through the Strait of Hormuz before the war — could be devastated by a prolonged disruption to Gulf crude production.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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Other school committee members like Keegan are devastated by the current state of the budget.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as anyone who’s dropped a mug knows, ceramics are also brittle and prone to smashing.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
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Police said three men wearing masks and all black clothing entered the open business and allegedly used a hammer to smash out several glass panels.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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How Disney’s founder, namesake, and first CEO overcame the crisis of his day may give D’Amaro a blueprint for his.—
Roland Betancourt,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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But even more inspiring was their determination to overcome enormous losses and difficulties to try to make new lives for themselves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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