demolishing 1 of 2

noun

as in wrecking

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demolishing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of demolish
1
as in destroying
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces developers demolished the old warehouse to make room for the new shopping mall

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2
as in ruining
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of most of the buildings in the town had been demolished in the bombing raid

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3
as in shattering
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive terrorists used a powerful pipe bomb to demolish the concrete wall around the compound

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of demolishing
Noun
In the filing, Omni Hotels outlined a five-year timeframe that would get the site fully designed, permitted and prepared for construction, noting construction would not start until at least five years after the demolishing of the buildings on site. — Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
Mansfield Timberview signaled state-title ambitions by demolishing West Mesquite 69-7, while White Settlement Brewer knocked off Class 6A Haltom 31-14 to open Class 5A play. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Aug. 2026 While members of the public and the architectural community have criticized the Rike Tubes for altering the character of Tbilisi’s historic old town, some favored relocating them to a more suitable setting rather than demolishing them. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026 As community members organized marches and protests, Abdeen helped bring a class-action lawsuit against the city, arguing that demolishing the neighborhood would violate residents’ civil rights. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 Trump has faced widespread criticism for demolishing the East Wing of the White House to make room for the grand ballroom design. — Callum Sutherland, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 Despite being identified decades ago, the exact trigger of the joint-demolishing condition is still unclear. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 At least one person was arrested for trespassing in connection with an earlier protest to stop contractors from demolishing the other trees. — Michael Loria, USA Today, 30 July 2026 City officials determined the collision had damaged the bridge beyond repair and began demolishing it Tuesday. — Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 29 July 2026 At the same time, Israeli soldiers have intensified their incursions across the West Bank, arresting more than 100 Palestinians and demolishing homes. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demolishing
  1. wrecking
  2. destroying
  3. ruining
  4. shattering
  5. destruction
  6. razing
  7. smashing
  8. blowing
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Definition of wrecking
Verb
  • Demonstrators carrying Spanish flags moved toward beachside migrant camps last week, destroying shelters and setting fires as police attempted to keep protesters and migrants apart, according to Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Several homeowners near Meta’s massive Newton County data center have filed a lawsuit accusing the tech company and others of tainting their water and destroying their rural way of life.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • The Horned Frogs crushed the Tar Heels 48-14 in last year’s season opener at Chapel Hill, ruining the college coaching debut of six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • So, are invasives ruining the state’s waters, or is the state on the way to becoming the everyman’s Amazon, embraced by the folks who can’t afford the jungle lodge experience?
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruining
Verb
  • The video shows a customer walking out of Cinnaholic when the girls ride the scooter through the window, shattering the glass.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Wednesday, which was forecast to be the hottest day of the heat wave, brought record-shattering temperatures across the Southland.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of shattering
Noun
  • Photos quickly spread across Telegram channels, showing where the destruction has occurred.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • As rescuers carried the priest’s body away from the destruction, a photographer snapped a photo.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of destruction
Verb
  • After razing huge warehouses in recent months belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online retailer, Ukrainian drones are now taking aim at Ozon, the country’s second-largest e-commerce company.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In March, Nebraska’s Morrill Fire tore through 642,000 acres to become the largest in state history, killing one person and razing vast stretches of cattle country.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of razing
Verb
  • Bland said officers were dispatched after a 911 caller reported that Garcia had been walking down the street with a baseball bat, smashing car windows.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Nvidia guided for 70% revenue growth in fiscal-year 2028, smashing estimates of 40%.
    — Benzinga, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of smashing
Verb
  • The National Weather Service called for blowing dust early Friday evening and a 20% chance of rain on Sunday for nearby Gerlach, Nevada, a community of 58 people about 100 miles north of Reno.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Stanford won 37-27, but this was after blowing a 16-point lead.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of blowing

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Cite this Entry

“Demolishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demolishing. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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