demolition
Americannoun
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an act or instance of demolishing.
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the state of being demolished; destruction.
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destruction or demolishment by explosives.
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demolitions, explosives, especially as used in war.
adjective
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of, relating to, or working with explosives.
A demolition squad attempted to blow up the bridge before the enemy captured it.
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of or relating to tearing down or demolishing.
Demolition work had begun on the old building.
noun
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the act of demolishing or state of being demolished
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military
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destruction by explosives
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( as modifier )
a demolition charge
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of demolition
1540–50; < Latin dēmōlītiōn- (stem of dēmōlītiō ), equivalent to dēmōlīt ( us ) (past participle of dēmōlīrī; see 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
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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Mid-Air
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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.
After multiple attempts to order Lowe to pull down the building, the council took her to court after she failed to comply with the demolition order.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
Building the grand staircase today would require the demolition of hundreds of apartments and stores.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Chatterjee said the project was progressing with major demolition work completed, and that "securing access to high power electricity is critical for our planned transition".
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
He represents a group of residents potentially affected by the expansion, and estimates the demolition would displace some 3,000 people.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
“Those aren’t bombs,” he said, “and certainly not guns. That’s demolition work. Germans. They’re probably blowing up bridges. It means they expect an attack but not that it’s here. It might not come for weeks.”
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
