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
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
City leaders are set to begin tearing down the building on Thursday afternoon at 5655 Old National Highway.
—Cbs News Atlanta Staff, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
While outreach workers will be hitting homeless encampments throughout the city, encouraging people to go to shelters during the storm, the city will not be tearing down the makeshift shanties the homeless have built before Sunday’s storm, Mamdani said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Just over a year ago in Syria, when Bashar al-Assad’s rule ended, demonstrations of joy erupted all over the country and in many cases focused on tearing down images of him and his father.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
On Thursday morning, fire department trucks were tearing down the affected side of the building, which was entirely blackened and hollowed out from the flames.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
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
City leaders are set to begin tearing down the building on Thursday afternoon at 5655 Old National Highway.
—Cbs News Atlanta Staff, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
While outreach workers will be hitting homeless encampments throughout the city, encouraging people to go to shelters during the storm, the city will not be tearing down the makeshift shanties the homeless have built before Sunday’s storm, Mamdani said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Just over a year ago in Syria, when Bashar al-Assad’s rule ended, demonstrations of joy erupted all over the country and in many cases focused on tearing down images of him and his father.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
On Thursday morning, fire department trucks were tearing down the affected side of the building, which was entirely blackened and hollowed out from the flames.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing down
Verb
-
Will Trump adopt Putin-style tactics by destroying power plants or even desalination plants in what could amount to an attack on the beleaguered Iranian people themselves?—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the weeks since, fears of a long-term occupation of southern Lebanon have grown, with Israel moving to establish a buffer zone in the area, leveling homes and destroying bridges over the Litani River, which connects the south to the rest of Lebanon, while taking control of what crossings remain.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Plans call for demolishing the three-story former office building on the site and constructing a single-story, 30-foot-tall building containing approximately 26,000 square feet of event space, according to information shared by the village.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The city’s long-term plan calls for demolishing the existing facility and replacing it with a new permanent building.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And thanks to their merino wool blend—helpful for moisture control and odor resistance—I did’t have to worry about ruining good shoes with gross foot sweat.—
Christa Sgobba,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The young Wolverines had already taken their leave with figurative Texas tread marks ruining their silky white, maize and blue uniforms.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Backup center Luka Garza helped the Celtics survive the upset bid by scoring a season-high 22 points and pulling down six of his team’s 18 offensive rebounds.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Dunn scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Kennedy Smith scored 12 points while pulling down six rebounds.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Our team found that a hospital cyberattack cut the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest without devastating brain damage by nearly 90% at nearby hospitals, not just the one that was attacked.—
Jeffrey Tully,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the war now is devastating it.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But customers should not expect earth-shattering menu changes.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
With large hailstones capable of shattering windshields and denting vehicles, meteorologists are urging residents to move cars into garages, covered parking areas or sheltered spots.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But here’s the thing — ignoring your gutters is one of the fastest ways to turn a free weekend project into a budget-wrecking emergency repair.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
This might drive like a dirt race, giving Reddick, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell a chance to shine as their cars are on the verge of wrecking.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maces, which were little more than rocks mounted on sticks, had questionable value as hunting tools, but they were superbly suited for smashing the bones and skulls of other humans.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Charging forward, Tuanzebe met the ball as its arc fell just in front of the goal, smashing it for a 1-0 lead.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tearing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing%20down. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
