Dictionary.com

demolish

[ dih-mol-ish ]
/ dɪˈmɒl ɪʃ /
See synonyms for: demolish / demolished / demolishing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to destroy or ruin (a building or other structure), especially on purpose; tear down; raze.
to put an end to; destroy; explode: The results of his research demolished many theories.
to lay waste to; ruin utterly: The fire demolished the area.
Informal. to devour completely: We simply demolished that turkey.

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Origin of demolish

1560–70; <Middle French démoliss-, stem of démolir<Latin dēmōlīrī to destroy, equivalent to dē-de- + mōlīrī to set in motion, struggle (mōl(ēs) mass, bulk + -īrī infinitive suffix)

synonym study for demolish

1. See destroy.

OTHER WORDS FROM demolish

de·mol·ish·er, nounde·mol·ish·ment, nounhalf-de·mol·ished, adjectiveun·de·mol·ished, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to demolish

smash, trash, devastate, annihilate, wreck, ruin, obliterate, dismantle, pulverize, crush, decimate, flatten, overturn, bulldoze, raze, dilapidate, wrack, level, crack, overthrow

Example sentences from the Web for demolish

  • From 1381 the year of its demolishment until 1509 it was little more than a ruin.

    Nooks and Corners of Old London|Charles Hemstreet

  • But he was thinking of the Jago as it had been—he had forgotten the demolishment.

    A Child of the Jago|Arthur Morrison

  • On the corner of this street was a most charming old façade in process of demolishment, which we deplored.

    Vanished towers and chimes of Flanders|George Wharton Edwards

  • He addressed himself to the demolishment of a ripe Cassaba melon.

    The Happy End|Joseph Hergesheimer

British Dictionary definitions for demolish

demolish
/ (dɪˈmɒlɪʃ) /

verb (tr)

to tear down or break up (buildings, etc)
to destroy; put an end to (an argument, etc)
facetious to eat upshe demolished the whole cake!

Derived forms of demolish

demolisher, noundemolishment, noun

Word Origin for demolish

C16: from French démolir, from Latin dēmōlīrī to throw down, destroy, from de- + mōlīrī to strive, toil, construct, from mōles mass, bulk
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012