DEMOLISH Synonyms: 180 Similar and Opposite Words

demolish

verb

di-ˈmä-lish

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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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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 demolish If the debate over City Hall’s future rages into the summer, the Mavericks can pivot to the 110-acre former home of Valley View, which was demolished in 2021. —

Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026 The developer sought permission from the city to demolish and build, while historic preservationists rallied to slow if not entirely impede the project, or at least save some of the building’s structure. —

Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026 To get the grants, the developer must spend $60 million on the development, demolish buildings at those addresses by the end of 2026, break ground by September 2027, and be finished with construction by September 2029. —

Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2026 Israel’s defense minister said the military would accelerate demolishing homes along the southern Lebanese border and destroy all bridges over the Litani River. —

Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for demolish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolish

Verb

Later, a fire at Hall’s grandmother’s house would destroy most of his magic act.

— Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
This time around, in that first wave of strikes on February 28, American cruise missiles targeted and destroyed a building that ended up being a girls’ school—killing more than 168 young children who had just started their day of classes.

— Connor Okeeffe, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026