TEAR DOWN Synonyms: 170 Similar and Opposite Words

tear down

verb

Definition of tear down

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 tear down Lowering taxes on work and investment, making labor markets more flexible, cutting unnecessary regulations and tearing down trade barriers help grow the economy. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2026 The 4-year-old Airbus plane that was torn down outside Phoenix in May is a key example. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026 Bulldozers tore down Palestinian businessman Riyad Mureish’s home in Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday, as Israeli officials launched a fresh crackdown on residents there. — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026 In Russia plaques commemorating victims of the Great Purge are being torn down and the last museum of the Gulag has been closed. — Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tear down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear down

Verb

Cities outside Paris have been hit hard by the unrest, including Limoges where a fire nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Animal diseases also threaten our economy and food system, destroying more than 20% of global livestock production each year.

— Robert Kelly, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

Originally designed in 1893 as two side-by-side hotels built by feuding family members, the collective property was demolished in 1929 to make room for the Empire State Building’s construction.

— Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 27 Oct. 2026
Plans to either demolish the structure or preserve it were offered by various community groups.

— Pam DeFiglio, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of demolish

Verb

One accidental move could ruin the attempt, requiring a correction at best, and a possible restart at worst.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Others have used it to remove oily stains from their toddlers like crayon marks on carpet, and one reviewer says it’s saved many of their clothes from being ruined in a household with unavoidable messes from both kids and pets.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

In a country so small and intimately connected, scarcely anyone was untouched by events that shattered the assumptions of a people whose nation was founded to give Jews a safe haven in their ancestral homeland.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
In fact, 2026 has already shattered the Biden-era record for the most number of days with $4 gas or higher.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of shatter

Verb

From Miami to Fort Lauderdale, residents struggled through the saltwater suddenly seeping into their neighborhoods and wrecking their commute.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
The 21-year-old from Dallas, who soared to gold in the all-around on Friday after recovering from injuries that wrecked her Olympic hopes in 2021 and again in 2024, hardly looked tired in what has quickly become the meet of her life.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of wreck

Verb

For two years, the war in Gaza devastated the Palestinian enclave, killed tens of thousands of people, and left Israeli hostages languishing in captivity.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
The rain is raising concerns in Altadena once again for families devastated by the Eaton Fire.

— Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of devastate

Verb

Experts who are part of consultations expect the new policy to lay down clear and consistent rules, which will also help the industry overcome challenges around land acquisition and simplify a fragmented approval process.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
The song addresses overcoming adversity and using others’ doubts to fuel your passion.

— Melinda Newman, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of overcome

Verb

Protests last week devolved into mayhem, with people setting fires, storming public buildings, smashing shop windows, looting and clashing with police.

— ELITSA GADEVA, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting sneakers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city’s central Duomo square.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of smash

Browse Nearby Words

tearaways

tear down

teardrop

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Tear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear%20down. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tear down

verb

Example Sentences

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