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
Due to liability concerns, owners tore down Sky Hi in 1987.
—
Abbey Briscoe, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2025
In December, the city tore down the Courtyards at Roselawn Park, a 1960 apartment complex overwhelmed with trash and crime since the last residents moved out in 2014.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
June 15 Vandalism: At 3:50 p.m. someone tore down a sign at Westhope Presbyterian Church on Saratoga Avenue, causing about $350 in damage.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 27 June 2025
By then, the city had been built and torn down more than once, leaving remnants of past communities buried under new layers.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Abbey Briscoe, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2025
In December, the city tore down the Courtyards at Roselawn Park, a 1960 apartment complex overwhelmed with trash and crime since the last residents moved out in 2014.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
June 15 Vandalism: At 3:50 p.m. someone tore down a sign at Westhope Presbyterian Church on Saratoga Avenue, causing about $350 in damage.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 27 June 2025
By then, the city had been built and torn down more than once, leaving remnants of past communities buried under new layers.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down
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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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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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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Napheesa Collier scored 30 points and pulled down nine rebounds in the win, while Kayla McBride scored 24 points.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Aug. 2025
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Jones, who has pulled down seven interceptions in his previous three seasons, has a reputation as a ball hawk.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
1 Aug. 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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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
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Some drugs, particularly antibiotics, can wreck the gut microbiome fast.—
Avery Hurt,
Discover Magazine,
30 July 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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
“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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