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
- dismantlement noun
- dismantler noun
- undismantled adjective
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.
And so we literally have to dismantle the lies that we’ve been sold about all of those things so that we can just get on with it.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
Washington and Tehran were unable to agree during the 21-hour discussion on demands for the Islamic Republic to dismantle its nuclear program.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
I spoke with him to understand exactly what legal argument the OLC is using to try to dismantle the PRA and what it means for the future of government transparency.
From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026
He added that he feels his only option is to "dismantle the cottages and render them unhabitable" by removing the kitchens and bathrooms.
From BBC • Apr. 6, 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.
