dismantle
Americanverb (used with object)
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dismantles,
present (3rd person singular)
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dismantled,
past participle, past
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dismantling
present participle
-
to deprive or strip of apparatus, furniture, equipment, defenses, etc..
to dismantle a ship; to dismantle a fortress.
-
to disassemble or pull down; take apart.
They dismantled the machine and shipped it in pieces.
-
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
-
are dismantlingprogressive
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is dismantlingprogressive
-
have been dismantlingperfect progressive
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has been dismantlingperfect progressive
Past
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dismantledsimple
-
had dismantledperfect
-
was dismantlingprogressive
-
were dismantlingprogressive
-
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.
See Examples For:
Some polymers contain bonds that microbial enzymes can attack, allowing bacteria to dismantle them into smaller molecules.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Police say the county has particularly high numbers of illegal "chop shops", which dismantle vehicles for parts so they can be sold and exported.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
But was it the singular experience that set a man on a decades-long mission to dismantle technological society?
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
What’s it like being able to impart some of the truth about Iranian culture in ways that can dismantle stereotypes that have been fed to Americans or what we see on the news?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Because harsh sentencing is a major cause of the prison explosion, one might reasonably assume that substantially reducing the length of prison sentences would effectively dismantle this new system of control.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Justice Elena Kagan’s majority opinion on Monday dismantles that theory piece by piece.
From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026
The agreement requires the Lebanese state to take back control of its territory a little at a time as it disarms and dismantles the militant group.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Among the many quotes Ross left with his audience is one that dismantles intimidating concepts about natural ability, the kind of artistic gatekeeping we often impose on ourselves.
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
"This obviously completely dismantles Hugo Chavez’s oil model," said oil analyst Francisco Monaldi, while pointing out that the state will retain some discretion over the issuing of contracts to private players.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
He dismantles the machine, stares into its circuits, lets his fingers trace the journeys of electrons.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
When American forces discovered and dismantled the B8 reactor in 1945, it had never achieved criticality.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Maresca felt he saw enough to give City hope should they meet PSG again later in the Champions League, despite the manner in which they were dismantled in the first half.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., circled back later in the hearing and methodically dismantled the exchange.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
Over that time, the authorities have dismantled 8,500 illegal pits.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
Pain stabs through me as everything I am made of collapses, my entire world dismantled in a moment.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
Gavin Pugh was dismantling a pylon in April 2022 when he unknowingly clipped his safety line to a section that was only secure at one end.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Ultimately, World War II in Asia was about the dismantling of three empires—British, Dutch and French—and the birthing of new nations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The attacks led to the war in Afghanistan, which lasted for 20 years after the invasion’s initial success in dismantling al-Qaida and removing the Taliban government.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
Parton, who died Tuesday at age 80, made a career out of building illusions she delighted in dismantling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
What follows is not a plan, but several questions and claims offered for serious consideration by those committed to racial justice and interested in dismantling mass incarceration.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
