dismantle
Americanverb (used with object)
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to deprive or strip of apparatus, furniture, equipment, defenses, etc..
to dismantle a ship; to dismantle a fortress.
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to disassemble or pull down; take apart.
They dismantled the machine and shipped it in pieces.
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to divest of dress, covering, etc..
The wind dismantled the trees of their leaves.
verb
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to take apart
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to demolish or raze
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to strip of covering
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dismantlesimple
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dismantlessimple
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have dismantledperfect
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has dismantledperfect
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am dismantlingprogressive
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are dismantlingprogressive
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is dismantlingprogressive
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have been dismantlingperfect progressive
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has been dismantlingperfect progressive
Past
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dismantledsimple
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had dismantledperfect
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was dismantlingprogressive
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were dismantlingprogressive
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had been dismantlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dismantle
From the Middle French word desmanteler, dating back to 1570–80. See dis- 1, mantle
Explanation
To take something apart or down is to dismantle it. If you dismantle a computer to see what it looks like inside, you better know how to put it back together, or you might be looking at the inside of your room for awhile. Dismantle is a verb used for both physical things and ideas. You can dismantle a campground by taking down the tents and breaking apart the fire logs, or you can dismantle a government by going against its leadership and bringing down its rule. Often when you dismantle something, you take away its ability to work, as with a nuclear warhead, but you can also take apart decorative or non-working things, as when you dismantle a science-fair display or a city made of blocks.
Vocabulary lists containing dismantle
The Alchemist
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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A Long Way Gone
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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.
It said they exploded "while preparations were underway" to dismantle them.
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
Their stated goal was to dismantle a racial hierarchy, not compel the government to ignore race altogether.
From Slate • Jun. 22, 2026
“There’s a desire in Rhaenyra, I think we’ve seen on repeat, to actually dismantle some of the feudal hierarchy and actually to say to her subjects, ‘You and I are the same,’” says D’Arcy.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
The agreement provides for much greater financial relief if Iran goes along with American demands to destroy its stockpile of enriched uranium and dismantle its nuclear program.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
In a week he can dismantle and rebuild it with his eyes closed.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
