demolition
Americannoun
-
an act or instance of demolishing.
-
the state of being demolished; destruction.
-
destruction or demolishment by explosives.
-
demolitions, explosives, especially as used in war.
adjective
-
of, relating to, or working with explosives.
A demolition squad attempted to blow up the bridge before the enemy captured it.
-
of or relating to tearing down or demolishing.
Demolition work had begun on the old building.
noun
-
the act of demolishing or state of being demolished
-
military
-
destruction by explosives
-
( as modifier )
a demolition charge
-
Other Word Forms
- demolitionist noun
- nondemolition noun
Etymology
Origin of demolition
1540–50; < Latin dēmōlītiōn- (stem of dēmōlītiō ), equivalent to dēmōlīt ( us ) (past participle of dēmōlīrī; demolish ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Demolition is the act of knocking something down or totally destroying it. It's what construction crews do with sledgehammers and wrecking balls. Not for the faint of heart, demolition usually involves explosives, bulldozers and lots of dust and debris. The act of demolishing something could be seen as a good stress reliever though, if plowing through drywall or mowing over shrubbery is your kind of thing. Or perhaps you could join "a demolition crew," hired to send the wrecking ball though buildings big and small.
Vocabulary lists containing demolition
Skellig
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mid-Air
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While he had initially expected the project to cost $15,000, the final bill for the demolition and replacement totaled $20,000.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
"I mean complete demolition by 12 o'clock, and it'll happen over a period of four hours -- if we wanted to."
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
It was Van Dijk's foul on Nico O'Reilly which gave Erling Haaland the opportunity to kickstart City's demolition job from the penalty spot after 39 minutes.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
‘Repumping the battered energy heart is a multiyear demolition derby, not a weekend DIY.’
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
“It looks like a demolition team came through here with sledgehammers.”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
