1
as in destroying
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
as in demolishing
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
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 tearing down
Among Republicans, 65% support tearing down the East Wing of the White House to make room for a ballroom.
—
Emily Guskin, ABC News, 30 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
Human Rights Watch said authorities have taken sweeping steps to curb religious practice, including tearing down churches and crosses, blocking gatherings at unregistered churches and seizing religious materials not approved by the state.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
The demolition of a century of history in McKeesport began on Monday, as crews started tearing down the site of the old Penn-McKee Hotel.
—Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Workers were tearing down the court at the near-empty United Center late Sunday afternoon after Michigan’s win over Tennessee when a roar erupted from the nearby media workroom.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
The decades-long struggle to make Victory a viable neighborhood should give pause to proponents of tearing down City Hall to build an arena and entertainment district.
—Mark Lamster
architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
The developers also are tearing down the former Bank of America office building and parking garage to clear space for additional apartments.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Construction, which involves tearing down two, 1980s-era office buildings to make room for hundreds of apartments, is expected to start this spring.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Emily Guskin, ABC News, 30 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
Human Rights Watch said authorities have taken sweeping steps to curb religious practice, including tearing down churches and crosses, blocking gatherings at unregistered churches and seizing religious materials not approved by the state.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
The demolition of a century of history in McKeesport began on Monday, as crews started tearing down the site of the old Penn-McKee Hotel.
—Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Workers were tearing down the court at the near-empty United Center late Sunday afternoon after Michigan’s win over Tennessee when a roar erupted from the nearby media workroom.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
The decades-long struggle to make Victory a viable neighborhood should give pause to proponents of tearing down City Hall to build an arena and entertainment district.
—Mark Lamster
architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
The developers also are tearing down the former Bank of America office building and parking garage to clear space for additional apartments.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Construction, which involves tearing down two, 1980s-era office buildings to make room for hundreds of apartments, is expected to start this spring.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing down
Verb
-
Some had been there so long that corrosion was destroying them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
This past offseason, discussion and speculation around Major League Baseball was that the Los Angeles Dodgers would be responsible for destroying the sport and the 2027 season.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has overseen dramatic cosmetic changes on the White House grounds during his second term, including paving over the grassy line of the famous Rose Garden and demolishing the White House's East Wing to make way for a massive ballroom.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
Mary Shepard Place — built in the 1940s as Bellevue Square in the Clay Arsenal neighborhood — would be redeveloped in two phases, demolishing a total of 127, low-income apartments and replacing them with 159.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Determining how the teen died took time, and after months of additional investigation, prosecutors announced charges against D4vd that allege her murder was a premeditated attempt to keep her from ruining his music career by exposing their underage relationship.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, wet windows can accumulate condensation overnight, potentially ruining your hard work.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Now, as Altman sits in the courtroom awaiting Musk’s opening statement, the Nasdaq is taking a hit on the report, falling more than 1% from record territory and pulling down the names tied closely to OpenAI’s commercial orbit.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Over the last year enrollment drops were pronounced, pulling down statewide numbers.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Two tornadoes ripped through west Michigan on April 14, devastating a family dairy farm in Fenick, releasing hundreds of cows and leaving thousands without power.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a race for the ages, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday, shattering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Kenyan runner won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, shattering the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The animal begins wrecking the fields and terrorizing the people.—
Perin Gürel,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The tornado left a trail of damage in Hillsdale, Kansas, Monday night, wrecking an RV park, toppling power lines, leveling homes and destroying a storage facility near West 255th Street.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But as anyone who’s dropped a mug knows, ceramics are also brittle and prone to smashing.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Police officers arrived at her Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles and learned that the attackers had left the woman inside after allegedly smashing her jaw and choking her.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tearing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing%20down. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
