1
as in destroys
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 demolishes
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tears down
Verb
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Producing traditional paper destroys trees and is resource-intensive, requiring up to 13 liters of water for every page made.—
Sandy Ong,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Sep. 2025 -
In those situations, the team typically takes the potentially explosive item to a remote area and destroys it, just to be safe, Putthoff said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When shoe stink ruins a perfectly good rack.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Sep. 2025
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No matter how beautiful your kitchen is, grime on your appliances immediately ruins its look.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That pulls down the median sales price even if the price per square foot continues to steadily rise from about $127 in 2016 to $231 today.—
Brandon Kochkodin,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The shift change shatters my sleep like a robin’s egg crashing against pavement.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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Most sitcoms that cast celebrities to play themselves go the Thompson route, crafting a character that completely shatters the person’s public image.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Messy data wrecks forecasts, distorts reporting and wastes time.—
Thasha Batts,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Deadly flooding devastates South Asia Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the country’s north.—
Semafor Staff,
semafor.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Illness devastates the novel’s humble, endearing protagonist, who bravely crosses class boundaries in her enthralling search for peace.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The trend isn’t one-sided either, as clips have surfaced of brides being the ones to start the frosting fight, like in this TikTok video where a bride smashes a piece of cake on her groom’s face.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
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In the United Kingdom, as fans wait for something new from the global pop star, one of her earlier career smashes returns to the top 40 and becomes a bestseller again.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Chronic financial stress raises cortisol levels, which, over time, damages the immune system, increases risk for hypertension and heart disease and worsens mental health.—
Dr. Melissa Weathersby,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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In particular, a significant amount of rubble is visible in the streets of Jabalya and Sheikh Radwan, apparently caused by direct fire that damages the sides of buildings without appearing on satellite imagery.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tears down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tears%20down. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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