Demolish
Condemned bridges, viral takedowns, and 120-run targets chased in fourteen overs all meet the same fate this verb delivers: total, rubble-level destruction.
Learn This WordMeaning
To destroy completely.
Memory trick
DE-MOLISH: de (down) + the mass of the building, reduced to dust.
Examples
Crews demolished the bridge.
The food critic demolished the restaurant’s reputation in one viral paragraph.
Our inter-college rivals demolished our 120-run target in fourteen overs.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin demoliri "to tear down," from de- "down" + moliri "to build, exert." Unbuilding with the same force as building.
Usage Notes
Total destruction, literal or figurative: buildings, arguments, and opponents all get demolished. Informal: demolishing food means devouring it.
Real-life contexts
Use in news: "The old mill will be demolished in June."
Use in debate: "She demolished his argument with one chart."
Use in sports: "We demolished the target with overs to spare."
Common Mistakes
Demolish means complete destruction; do not use it for partial damage. American spelling demolish, never demollish.
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Part of Speech
verb
Difficulty
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