raze

Or rase

[reyz]

verb (used with object)

razed, razing 

1. to tear down; demolish; level to the ground.

   to raze a row of old buildings.

2. to shave or scrape off.

raze

/ reɪz /

verb

1. to demolish (a town, buildings, etc) completely; level (esp in the phrase raze to the ground )

2. to delete; erase

3. archaic,  to graze

Other Word Forms

• razer noun
• unrazed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of raze¹

1540–50; Middle English rasen < Middle French raser < *Vulgar Latin rāsāre to scrape, frequentative of Latin rādere to scrape

Word History and Origins

Origin of raze¹

C16: from Old French raser from Latin rādere to scrape

Synonym Study

See destroy.

Example Sentences

Dapash, who filed the lawsuit in August, is asking the court to order the camp razed and the land restored to its original condition, including with newly planted indigenous trees.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"A little later, we heard a loud blast and the house was razed to the ground," he said.

Read more on BBC

Before the disaster, part of the complex had been a bird sanctuary, and 220 acres of forest had to be razed in the cleanup.

Read more on Literature

Images have emerged showing buildings razed to the ground, debris and belongings strewn on streets, and whole neighbourhoods still under floodwater.

Read more on BBC

In particular, the buildings next to the beach appear to have razed to the ground.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bulldoze 
• demolish 
• destroy 
• dynamite 
• erase 
• extinguish 
• obliterate 
• overthrow 
• scatter 
• smash 
• topple 
• wipe out 
• wreck