dismantle

[ dis-man-tl ]

/ dɪsˈmæn tl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR dismantle ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), dis·man·tled, dis·man·tling.

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.

Nearby words

disloyal, disloyalty, dismal, dismal science, dismal swamp, dismantle, dismast, dismay, disme, dismember, dismiss

Origin of dismantle

From the Middle French word desmanteler, dating back to 1570–80. See dis-¹, mantle

Related forms

dis·man·tle·ment, noundis·man·tler, nounun·dis·man·tled, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for dismantle

But it will take more than superficial solidarity to dismantle those structures and the ideologies that birthed them.
Jamie Foxx: Get Over the Black ‘Annie’|Stereo Williams|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Today, though, professional and amateur historians can build counter-narratives that are hard to dismantle.
God vs. the Internet. And the Winner is…|Michael Schulson|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This missive could just be read as your standard step-around; an attempt to dismantle a potential PR bomb before it detonates.
There She Is! Deport the Miss America Pageant.|Amy Zimmerman|October 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I used to dismantle a calculator to understand how it works.
Vilified Bitcoin Tycoon After Losing $500 Million: My Life Is at Risk|Nathalie-Kyoko Stucky|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

"Step by step, we must drive back, dismantle and ultimately destroy ISIL and what it stands for," he said.
Will The Latest ISIS Beheading Move Britain To Tougher Action?|Jamie Dettmer|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is quite sufficient for a man to have a fine foot and a clear eye in order to dismantle the portrait of a husband.
The Physiology of Marriage, Complete|Honore de Balzac
The last probable customer had gone, and the ladies in charge of the booths were beginning to dismantle them.
Georgina of the Rainbows|Annie Fellows Johnston
The people of Bwayan promised to dismantle all their forts immediately, for that was one of the conditions of peace.
The History of Sulu|Najeeb M. Saleeby
In the spring I shall return to Trinity, to dismantle my rooms, and bid you a final adieu.
Life of Lord Byron, Vol. I. (of VI.)|Thomas Moore
Tonight I dismantle this, and tomorrow start reconstructing it for Isaak's head.
The Ideal|Stanley Grauman Weinbaum

British Dictionary definitions for dismantle

dismantle

/ (dɪsˈmæntəl) /

verb (tr)

to take apart

to demolish or raze

to strip of covering

Derived Forms

dismantlement, noundismantler, noun

Word Origin for dismantle

C17: from Old French desmanteler to remove a cloak from; see mantle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012