1
as in to destroy
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
developers demolished the old warehouse to make room for the new shopping mall
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2
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
most of the buildings in the town had been demolished in the bombing raid
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3
as in to shatter
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
terrorists used a powerful pipe bomb to demolish the concrete wall around the compound
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of demolish
As a result, crews had already demolished The Dolphin Restaurant, which was built in the 1960s, to make room to fix missing and damaged pilings.
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Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024
During the uprising, students demolished or defaced thousands of statues that Ms. Hasina had erected of her father.
—Saif Hasnat Atul Loke, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
The find came just in time, as Chikuma Soba's website said the restaurant was scheduled to move to a new location in mere days, after which the old location would be demolished.
—Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024
But the track’s owners filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and plans were made to demolish the facility and replace it with an outlet mall.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for demolish 
Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024
During the uprising, students demolished or defaced thousands of statues that Ms. Hasina had erected of her father.
—Saif Hasnat Atul Loke, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
The find came just in time, as Chikuma Soba's website said the restaurant was scheduled to move to a new location in mere days, after which the old location would be demolished.
—Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024
But the track’s owners filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and plans were made to demolish the facility and replace it with an outlet mall.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for demolish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolish
Verb
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To its credit, Doc is more adept at crafting moral dilemmas that force its characters to reckon with the cost of saving one child at the expense of another’s health, or a patient’s right to know a secret that could destroy his family.Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
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In 2023, nearly 40 were introduced to the council — from calling on the state legislature to let Louisville destroy confiscated firearms to requesting the city's Planning Commission review the Land Development Code.Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Although the name suggests otherwise, the custard should never be allowed to actually boil, which would risk scrambling the eggs and ruining the custard.Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024
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Ventilation along the roofline ensures airflow to prevent the dampness that can ruin belongings.Miles Walls, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The sequel, released over Thanksgiving weekend, has shattered box office records and has already raked in $750 million internationally.Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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The inaugural season of the Jamie Chadwick Series wrapped up with a resounding success, shattering records and opening new doors for young girls in the world of motorsport.Jenn Nelson, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The community is intended to honor Brooklyn, once a prosperous Black neighborhood that was razed as part of urban renewal in the 1960s and '70s.Alexandria Sands, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024
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The project is being built on the site of a former church that was razed for the redevelopment.Corina Vanek, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Advertisement Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle, eventually costing more than 20,000 lives by some estimates.Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
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Extremes getting more extreme 2024 also saw a number of life-threatening disasters, from Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of North Carolina and Florida, to powerful heat waves across the U.S.Lauren Sommer, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The leaves must be smashed and not chopped for fear the blade of a knife will over-oxidize them.Thessaly La Force, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Dec. 2024
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Meanwhile, Hulu scored hits in unexpected places (reality smash The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) even as shows such as Futurama and Only Murders in the Building continued to be quiet streaming hits.Josef Adalian, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Plus, consuming alcohol on the reg can wreck the balance of your microbiome, depleting your numbers of good bacteria and prompting excess growth of the bad guys that can inflame your gut.Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Dec. 2024
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Plummeting aircraft or debris can kill people; errant munitions can wreck city blocks.Colin Demarest, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Gardner-Johnson’s play redeemed his ejection after two unsportsmanlike penalties last week when the Eagles blew a two-score lead to the Washington Commanders.Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
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Milk, the drink of choice for an adult about to just absolutely blow someone’s back out.Allison P. Davis, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near demolish
Cite this Entry
“Demolish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demolish. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.
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