demolition

American  

[dem-uh-lish-uhn, dee-muh-] / ˌdɛm əˈlɪʃ ən, ˌdi mə- /

noun

demolitions plural

1. an act or instance of demolishing.

2. the state of being demolished; destruction.

3. destruction or demolishment by explosives.

4. demolitions, explosives, especially as used in war.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or working with explosives.

   A demolition squad attempted to blow up the bridge before the enemy captured it.

2. of or relating to tearing down or demolishing.

   Demolition work had begun on the old building.

demolition British  

/ ˌdiː-, ˌdɛməˈlɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of demolishing or state of being demolished

2. military

   1. destruction by explosives

   2. ( as modifier )

      a demolition charge

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• demolitionist
  noun
• nondemolition
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• demolitions
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

demolition demolitions

Defending champion Luke Littler strolled into the World Matchplay final with a 17-5 demolition of unseeded Dirk van Duijvenbode in Blackpool.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Franklin completed the demolition of the original structure and began building a custom property that was completed in 2006.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

The competition—known as the May Bumps, despite occurring in June—is a wet and wild demolition derby in the shadows of England’s most storied halls of learning.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

"I've lived here for 40 years, I don't want a demolition," another woman said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

“Let’s get a spot on the grandstand for the demolition derby. If we go now, we’ll get front row seats.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

There are strict rules in California around the purchasing of dynamite, which is generally restricted to licensed professionals working in mining and quarry operations, building demolitions, tunneling projects and specialized industrial activities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026

While the majority of the south is Shia, Farah said Israel's demolitions in Yarun have included "the church hall, a convent and the Saint George school".

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

While a ceasefire began on April 17, the destruction, demolitions and bulldozing in southern areas have only intensified, affecting homes, infrastructure, schools, places of worship and farmland.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

If we look at the number of mortgages that were issued in Detroit following demolitions, they did increase.

From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026

Two of the most publicized demolitions — Lexington Terrace in West Baltimore and Lafayette Courts in East Baltimore — were huge projects, housing hundreds of families, that served as centers for crime and infectious disease.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• annihilation
• explosion