tearing down

verb

present participle of tear down
1
as in destroying
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
as in demolishing
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 tearing down Yes to hugging and high-fiving a stranger; no to tearing down a lamppost and smashing a cop car. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 June 2026 That will take Major League Soccer tearing down all the walls. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 Crews started tearing down what's left of the building Saturday. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 12 May 2026 Removing a dam, however, is rarely as simple as tearing down concrete. — Radina Gigova, CNN Money, 27 May 2026 The British Government is desperate to make progress in tearing down trade barriers. — Anand Menon, Time, 13 June 2026 Mercury is a big network with an independent spirit, tearing down gatekeepers and giving a platform to the best indie shows. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 But others—including tearing down the East Wing to build a ballroom, or his plan to construct an arch at the city’s limits—are an attempt to cement his legacy long after his term in office is over. — Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 29 June 2026 Backes said plans call for tearing down the existing building where the call center is located and building a data center that would conform to North Richland Hills’ requirements. — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing down
  1. destroying
  2. demolishing
  3. ruining
  4. pulling down
  5. devastating
  6. shattering
  7. wrecking
  8. smashing
Verb
  • Or tech companies forcing regular people to foot the electricity bills for their environment-destroying data centers!
    — Rebekah Taussig, Time, 7 July 2026
  • Many older interceptor missiles use blast-fragmentation warheads, detonating near the incoming missile and destroying it with high-speed metal fragments.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • Djokovic put in a masterful performance against a player who had gone in as many people’s favorite after demolishing the champion of two years earlier, Andy Murray, in the semifinals.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • The redevelopment plan involves demolishing a section of the existing shopping center to accommodate a new 47,000-square-foot Publix grocery store.
    — Catherine Muccigrosso July 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026
Definition of demolishing
Verb
  • But the neighboring 171-feet Shelborne By Proper hotel says the new tower will cast a shadow over its pool, ruining the experience for guests at the luxury hotel.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026
  • Water had seeped in everywhere on that floor, ruining the carpet, as well as other items.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of ruining
Verb
  • San Jose police officials released 17 minutes of security footage showing vandals brazenly breaking into the Vietnamese Heritage Garden last month and pulling down a nine-foot monument depicting a South Vietnamese soldier.
    — Ryan Macasero, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
  • Good for hugging and pulling down rebounds in pickup basketball.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of pulling down
Verb
  • The co-writer thing was a total disaster, devastating on every level.
    — Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • One week after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, relief efforts in South Florida continue at a steady pace.
    — Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of devastating
Verb
  • SoCal’s housing market growth SpaceX’s record-shattering IPO has unleashed a wave of high-end home shoppers poised to reshape Southern California’s already tight coastal housing markets.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of shattering
Verb
  • The blaze remained confined to the wrecking yard property, despite briefly jumping a fence and igniting vegetation to the west.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
  • The good news is that dermatologists and makeup artists have figured out how to keep your SPF topped up without wrecking your foundation, blush or setting spray.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026
Definition of wrecking
Verb
  • Djokovic became so frustrated that he was given a code violation warning for smashing a racket, before eventually hauling himself over the line.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan joined in the fun Friday, serving and smashing with a paddle in a San Jose Earthquakes jersey.
    — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
Definition of smashing

Browse Nearby Words

tearing
tearing down
tearing into
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Cite this Entry

“Tearing down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing%20down. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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