1
as in to demolish
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
an entire city block razed by a terrible fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to destroy
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
the developer razed the old school building and built a high-rise condominium complex
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of raze
The building was heavily damaged by a fire on June 1, 1969, and razed in 1970.
—
Indianapolis Star, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Some 15,000 single-room occupancy units are demolished in Skid Row and 7,000 low-income Victorian homes are razed on Bunker Hill as civic leaders move to modernize downtown.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The façade was saved when the old building was razed and repurposed for the new structure.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
The subsequent war to oust Hamas from Gaza has taken a devastating toll on ordinary Gazans, with many thousands killed and whole neighborhoods razed to the ground.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raze
Indianapolis Star, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Some 15,000 single-room occupancy units are demolished in Skid Row and 7,000 low-income Victorian homes are razed on Bunker Hill as civic leaders move to modernize downtown.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The façade was saved when the old building was razed and repurposed for the new structure.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
The subsequent war to oust Hamas from Gaza has taken a devastating toll on ordinary Gazans, with many thousands killed and whole neighborhoods razed to the ground.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for raze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raze
Verb
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The kids division, ages 5 to 11, was tasked with demolishing a singular slice, or one-fourth, of an entire pie.—
Olivia Cyrus
July 23,
Sacbee.com,
24 July 2025
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That includes plans to demolish the building this summer.—
Tom Daykin,
jsonline.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
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In return, he was allowed to effectively destroy a nature site of great conservation value.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
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When the Silver Surfer arrives in New York to destroy the final teleportation tower, Johnny plays those traumatic recordings over speakers in Earth-828's version of Times Square, hoping to appeal to her empathy.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
1 Aug. 2025
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Freezing her eggs was a priority because chemotherapy could ruin her chances of fertility and natural birth.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
31 July 2025
Verb
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Today, disaster seekers pack tours through New Orleans neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina two decades ago, and visitors continue to flock to Galveston to see the legacy of a hurricane that killed thousands more than a century earlier.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers
July 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 July 2025
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Not only has its air defense infrastructure suffered badly in the confrontations with Israel, but its regional proxies and allies – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria – have either been devastated by Israel or collapsed altogether.—
Linggong Kong,
The Conversation,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Keenan’s only injuries were from the car’s shattered glass, but Denaro was shot five times and needed a metal plate to replace a part of his skull, which was shattered by the bullets.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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That sense of serenity was shattered Monday when a man stormed the Midtown building with an assault rifle and unleashed a hailstorm of bullets, killing three people in the lobby.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Some drugs, particularly antibiotics, can wreck the gut microbiome fast.—
Avery Hurt,
Discover Magazine,
30 July 2025
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The New York Post reported that teams were reaching out to the Mets about Blackburn in June, before a spate of injuries temporarily wrecked New York’s starting depth.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
30 July 2025
Verb
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Abraham Toro led off the fifth with a single against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson, Anthony drew a walk and Alex Bregman smashed a three-run homer to put the Red Sox ahead 3-2.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
29 July 2025
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Chloe Kelly stood up once again for the winning moment, smashing her kick past the Spanish goalkeeper and securing England’s second European crown.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Raze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raze. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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