burn down
phrasal verb
burned down or burnt down; burning down; burns down
1
of a building or other structure
: to be destroyed by fire
The hotel burned down in 1922.
2
of a fire
: to become smaller : to gradually produce less and less flame
We watched the fire as it slowly burned down.
3
: to destroy (something) by fire
Vandals burned down the school.
burned it down
Examples of burn down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebuilding Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre by CBS Sunday Morning on YouTube
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Rebuilding Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (YouTube Video)
American actor Sam Wanamaker fought for years to recreate Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, which had burned down in 1613.
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David Morgan, CBS News, 12 June 2025
Later, Wilson learned that a building near the studio burned down and that there had been several other fires across Southern California.
—Jason Fine, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
This happened when the former Crystal Ice plant burned down some years ago in the midst of another major redevelopment project, on the R Street Corridor.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025
The couple hadn’t been living there because their house burned down three months prior.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn down
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David Morgan, CBS News, 12 June 2025
Later, Wilson learned that a building near the studio burned down and that there had been several other fires across Southern California.
—Jason Fine, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
This happened when the former Crystal Ice plant burned down some years ago in the midst of another major redevelopment project, on the R Street Corridor.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025
The couple hadn’t been living there because their house burned down three months prior.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn down
Cite this Entry
“Burn down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burn%20down. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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