1
as in to destroy
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
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2
as in to demolish
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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tear down
On the day of the August reveal, children stood on ladders to tear down the paper covering the new letters on the building, as a slightly confused Wilson stood front and center.
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Rachel Raposas, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024
In downtown Tampa early Thursday, fierce winds tore down traffic lights, ripped signs out of the ground, and sent construction barricades scudding across the wet pavement.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024
Water surged over a gully running through the Valencian town, ripping apart roads and tearing down walls of homes.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
When the hotel was torn down, much of the lumber was sold to be used in building houses in the area.
—Ray Hanley, arkansasonline.com, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tear down 
Rachel Raposas, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024
In downtown Tampa early Thursday, fierce winds tore down traffic lights, ripped signs out of the ground, and sent construction barricades scudding across the wet pavement.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024
Water surged over a gully running through the Valencian town, ripping apart roads and tearing down walls of homes.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
When the hotel was torn down, much of the lumber was sold to be used in building houses in the area.
—Ray Hanley, arkansasonline.com, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tear down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down
Verb
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Homes, roads and community spaces in the path of Helene have been destroyed.Patricia McIlreavy, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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The protagonist Skif goes to Chernobyl on a mission to imbue the artifact left by the anomaly that destroyed his home with residual energy that radiates throughout the Zone.Issy van der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Lions demolished the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, putting up at least 50 points on their opponent for the second time this season.Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
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Instead, Israel has conducted a campaign of broad devastation in Gaza, attacking the territory’s civilian population; demolishing its health, educational, and social infrastructure; and destroying its food production, shelter, and sources of potable water.John Spencer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Lobby group Family Business UK said tens of thousands of family-run businesses and farms will be ruined by this change due to lower levels of inheritance tax relief.Marc Shoffman, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
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The ground floors of thousands of homes have been ruined.Hernán Muñoz and Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In the summer of 2009, Mayo Clinic leaders voiced strong opposition to the creation of a public option, which advocates say would have helped pull down the ballooning price of both health care treatments and insurance.Max Nesterak, ProPublica, 31 Oct. 2024
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In recent years the question of separating NBCUniversal from the broadband business has been raised as it’s considered to have pulled down the stock.Lillian Rizzo,Alex Sherman, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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As the menace escalates, her parents dismiss her fears, and Annie is soon plunged into a terrifying nightmare that shatters her world.Zac Ntim, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2024
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The resulting encounter, in which his vulnerability and her deceits are laid bare, provides a quietly shattering climax.Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Expectations were too high because of the staggered rollout of AI, along with China which wrecked everyone.Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024
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Ice Cube is checking himself so as not to wreck himself.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The Durbin-Marshall legislation attempts to force down credit card processing fees paid by retailers via government mandates that would devastate the credit card rewards programs many consumers utilize.John Berlau, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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The continuation of the war, meanwhile, is devastating Ukraine.Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Last season, O'Neill smashed 31 home runs and posted a .847 OPS.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
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The non-nuclear munitions smashed into an industrial site, a medical rehabilitation center, homes and garages.David Axe, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near tear down
Cite this Entry
“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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