burn down

phrasal verb

burned down or burnt down; burning down; burns down
1
of a building or other structure : to be destroyed by fire
The hotel burned down in 1922.
2
of a fire : to become smaller : to gradually produce less and less flame
We watched the fire as it slowly burned down.
3
: to destroy (something) by fire
Vandals burned down the school.
burned it down

Examples of burn down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Two months before the Civil War ended, a Confederate soldier was tried in a New York City courtroom for espionage—and for trying to burn down the largest city in the Union. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Nov. 2024 Homes were burned down to their skeletons and brick chimneys. Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024 Mike Houser, Cooper City An absence of outrage Eighty-six years ago, on Nov. 9, 1938, 267 synagogues were burned down and destroyed, 7,000 Jewish businesses were destroyed, and thousands of Jews were arrested in Germany and Austria and sent to concentration camps. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Nov. 2024 With his conscience clear, Owen finally rode atop the wild steed, triumphantly emerging from a barn that burned down due to a gas leak. Andy Swift, TVLine, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for burn down 

Dictionary Entries Near burn down

Cite this Entry

“Burn down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burn%20down. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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