demolition derby

noun

1
: a contest in which skilled drivers ram old cars into one another until only one car remains running
2
: something that resembles a demolition derby in destructiveness

Examples of demolition derby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
During the second season, a mysterious man known as Calypso, played by Anthony Carrigan, in the trailer invites rival drivers to compete alongside Doe and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) in a sinister demolition derby. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025 The teaser trailer for Season 2 sees John Doe (Mackie) and Quiet (Beatriz) risking their lives to compete in a demolition derby tournament hosted by Calypso (Carrigan). Lauren Coates, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025 Step forward Garrett Smithley, who will pilot the team’s entry in the pre-season Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium—a short-track spectacle on February 2 that promises more carnage than an amateur demolition derby. Greg Engle, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025 Irwindale has long been home to the weird, wacky and wonderful, from trailer and figure-8 races to all-female demolition derbies and RV auto soccer. Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for demolition derby

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of demolition derby was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Demolition derby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demolition%20derby. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!