raze

or rase

[ reyz ]

verb (used with object)

, razed, raz·ing.

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

Derived Forms

• ˈrazer, noun

Other Words From

• razer noun
• un·razed 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

Experts say this year is on track to be as bad as 2020, when fires razed more than 19 million acres of the world’s largest tropical forest.

From Vox

In June, a normally temperate village in western Canada briefly became one of the hottest places on earth and before 90% of its buildings were razed by a wildfire.

From Time

She set fire to large swathes of land, razed villages and towns, and melted precious metals.

From Ozy

Apartment buildings were razed because, according to Israelis, some units were housing Palestinian weaponry.

From Time

But, at the same time, the house next door was recently bought by the city and razed because of flood risk.

From Time

In 1999, Mayor Dennis Archer sent in his own team of bulldozers to raze the art, but the artist stayed put and rebuilt.

From The Daily Beast

He I am informed sent a message to the Osage nation to raze the Kanses village entirely.

From Project Gutenberg

Here an awful blast swept the house, as if to raze it to its foundations.

From Project Gutenberg

En ez fur sellen' this place, war I wuz born'd en raze, I never spec' ter.

From Project Gutenberg

"He would raze the gates of hades for her," was the prompt reply.

From Project Gutenberg

His house has been broken into by the city-prefect and every corner of it searched; they say they mean to raze it to the ground.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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