torn down

past participle of tear down
1
as in destroyed
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

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 torn down Some thought the building, which often flooded due to its proximity to the Des Plaines River, should be preserved as a historic landmark, but it was torn down in January 2018. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026 The university then became responsible for remediation work and its daily 24/7 security before the crime scene was torn down against some of the victim families’ wishes ahead of a trial at the end of December 2023. Kevin Fixler june 26, Idaho Statesman, 26 June 2026 Although the Pulse nightclub was torn down, remnants from the building will be incorporated throughout the site helping to root memories in place. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 Survivors and victims’ families were allowed to go inside the nightclub one final time on the week of the massacre’s ninth anniversary last year before it was torn down in March to make way for the memorial. Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026 Many damaged homes will have to be torn down and rebuilt. Darius Johnson, CBS News, 12 June 2026 The old Palm Beach Mall is now an outdoor outlet mall while two others should probably be torn down. Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026 The historic bandstand that caught fire in Denver’s City Park in March is not salvageable and will need to be torn down, according to Mayor Mike Johnston and Denver Parks & Recreation. John Wenzel, Denver Post, 8 June 2026 The large tower that helps coordinate systems and ground infrastructure at the pad sustained significant charring in the blast, but is in fine-enough shape that Limp said it can be repaired rather than needing to be torn down and rebuilt. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn down
Verb
  • These structures were regionally and culturally inspired, and largely destroyed during rapid and callous colonization.
    Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 4 July 2026
  • The Aspen Acres fire has likely destroyed more than 200 homes, but the fire conditions have stopped damage assessment teams from accessing some areas to get a clearer picture, Pueblo County officials said.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • The East Wing of the White House was demolished suddenly in October 2025 and there is set to be a huge new ballroom, office spaces and an underground military complex in its place, though the design of the new building is still in flux.
    Adam England, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • Just months later, in October, the East Wing had been demolished without notice to make way for the new ballroom.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Croatia still furious Despite the correct decision being made, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was far from happy, saying VAR had ruined the spirit of the game.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • Bovary is in some sense a morality tale, but what lifts it above didacticism, along with its bone-deep interiority, is that its romantic plotlines are as addictive as the genre works that have ruined poor Emma Bovary.
    Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • South Korea’s Kospi dropped a breathtaking 10%, pulled down by double-digit losses for chip makers Samsung and SK Hynix.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 24 June 2026
  • The next day, August 22, a crowd gathered in front of the headquarters of the KGB and pulled down a giant statue of its founder, Felix Dzerzhinsky.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Two of the attackers then smashed the windshield of the news van with a parking cone and damaged the camera before leaving the scene.
    Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • The van’s windows were smashed and a lone orange traffic cone sat on the hood.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • In the history of mankind, socialist success stories are as rare as triple plays in baseball, but plenty of countries have been wrecked by it — Venezuela and Cuba, to name just two.
    Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026
  • My polishing pads are always getting wrecked, used, or stolen by my dog (or all of those things).
    Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • His companies have transformed industries, his wealth has shattered records, and his politics now shape governments and public debate.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
  • Republican Rick Jackson shattered spending records in Georgia by spending $108 million of his own money into his campaign for governor.
    Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Earlier that day, Contreras had broken down in tears while talking about the deadly earthquakes that devastated his native Venezuela.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Carr, who has spent decades documenting South Florida's Indigenous history, said the region's Native population had been devastated long before the American Revolution.
    Hank Tester, CBS News, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Torn down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torn%20down. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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