tear down

British  

/ tɛə /

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to destroy or demolish

   to tear a wall down

   to tear down an argument

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tear down Idioms  

1. Demolish, take apart, as in They tore down the old tenements , or He loved to tear down old engines . [Early 1600s]

2. Vilify or discredit, as in He's always tearing down someone or other . [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

Design fans were upset by the couple’s decision to tear down the original structure, known as the Zimmerman House, which dated to the 1950s and was considered a design gem.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

He had no right to unilaterally tear down part of the White House.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Pacha, which will operate the club complex, has said it would tear down the recently built Mirage and be ready to go with a new one by June.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

They own the property next door and hoped to tear down Monroe’s place to expand their estate.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

Dad offered to tear down the old outhouse so nobody would think to sing that stupid song again, but I said leave her be.

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick