Demolish Meaning
/dᵻˈmɒl.ɪʃ/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo destroy (buildings, etc.), especially in a planned or intentional fashion.
verbTo defeat, refute, discredit, or consume utterly (as a theory, belief or opponent).
Sentence Examples
They will demolish the building and replace it with a park.
It took three weeks to demolish the old house.
CEFR Practice Quiz
They will ____ the old bridge to make room for a wider one.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They will ____ the building and replace it with a park.
Word Origin & History
Attested since the 16th century; from Middle French demoliss-, the stem of some conjugated forms of the verb demolir (“to destroy”, “to tear down”), from Latin dēmōlior (“to tear down”). Displaced native Old English tōweorpan (literally “to throw apart”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The station did not have a long life, as it was demolished between 1884 and 1888 to make room for a new and larger station which forms part of the present Liverpool Exchange Station."
— 1957 August 26, “Notes and News: Tithebarn Street Station, Liverpool”, in Railway Magazine, page 590:
"The force of the explosion demolished one pair of piers and two spans of the bridge crashed down into the river on top of the barges."
— 1961 January, “Talking of Trains: The Severn Bridge disaster”, in Trains Illustrated, page 5:
"At Hawick, nothing remains of the station, and the viaduct over the River Teviot is one of a number of bridges that were demolished or removed following closure."
— 2020 May 6, Graeme Pickering, “Borders Railway: time for the next step”, in Rail, page 53:
"The Captain folded his brow into a look of intense perplexity. 'You seem exceedingly spry for a man who demolished an entire bottle of brandy and better part of an ounce of shag in a single evening.'
'And very nice too,' said the tramp. 'Now as to breakfast?'"
— 1992, Robert Rankin, The Antipope, page 68:
"Andrew Johnson scored a hat-trick as Fulham demolished London rivals Queens Park Rangers to win their Premier League fixture of the season."
— 2011 October 2, Kevin Core, “Fulham 6 - 0 QPR”, in BBC Sport:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
They will ____ the old bridge to make room for a wider one.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They will ____ the building and replace it with a park.