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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of tearing down
Crews started tearing down what's left of the building Saturday.
—
Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Elijah Chatman’s corresponding release made clear that this is Harbaugh tearing down the Giants’ defensive tackle position nearly to the studs.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Notably, the same kids host a show dedicated to tearing down everything their parents stand for.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 May 2026
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
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 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
Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Elijah Chatman’s corresponding release made clear that this is Harbaugh tearing down the Giants’ defensive tackle position nearly to the studs.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Notably, the same kids host a show dedicated to tearing down everything their parents stand for.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 May 2026
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
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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing down
Verb
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Back in 2023, the small drones started destroying any truck or van within several miles of the front, often in high-speed chases.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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Anomalies then occurred during an engine relight sequence, destroying a significant part of the Superheavy aft and resulting in a loss of control.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Indeed, back in the 1990s and 2000s, municipalities across the country were happily demolishing Brutalist eyesores made to house the poor.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
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The work included demolishing one stand entirely to create the space required to facilitate those media demands.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
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This situation is ruining my good feelings about the club.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
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When sound came in, people were writing all these articles about how sound is ruining films.—
Andy Hazel,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The other boys were pulling down their pack straps, clipping them tight.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
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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
Verb
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Initial tests suggested the outbreak does not involve the Ebola Zaire strain, which caused Congo’s devastating 2018–2020 epidemic that killed more than 1,000 people.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
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Captiva Though the recovery isn’t totally complete, Captiva is bouncing back from both 2022’s devastating Hurricane Ian and the rough 2024 hurricane season.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Third, Ukrainian drone strikes are catalyzing profound morale issues within Russia itself, methodically shattering the illusion of domestic security cultivated by the Kremlin, as the Kremlin tightens its grip over society, including through the suspension of popular messaging apps such as Telegram.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
23 May 2026
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Such an explosion could release energy comparable to a small nuclear weapon, creating a powerful shockwave capable of shattering windows and causing localized damage over a wide area.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
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On 16 December 2021, typhoon Odette rang in a new chapter, wrecking the island and reducing much of the resort to rubble.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
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The line was a wrecking crew that also managed to outscore the opposition.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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With the help of White and Daniels, Colbert, with permission from the studio, started smashing up the old set, threw the pieces away into a dumpster, and lit it on fire — thanks to the approval of their fire Marshall (Mathers).—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
23 May 2026
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Richemont’s division, which includes Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Buccellati, grew 16% in Q4 — smashing expectations of an 11% uplift and surpassing the previous quarter, when jewelry sales grew 14%.—
Laure Guilbault,
Vogue,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tearing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing%20down. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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