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

The Kafolo camp has been razed to the ground to make way for a future vegetable market.

Read more on Barron's

Running through the razed ground is a road or track established by the IDF, probably to provide access to northern areas of nearby Gaza City.

Read more on BBC

The report also highlighted persistent but overlooked levels of forest degradation, where land is damaged but not razed entirely, mostly owing to logging, road building and fires lit to clear land.

Read more on Barron's

Video footage taken on Friday showed fires still burning, charred vehicles, and smoke rising from the razed building.

Read more on BBC

Many will find little remains, as Israel has razed large parts of the Gaza Strip.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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