Definition

1. Verb:
   • To destroy something completely, especially a building or structure: To reduce something to ruins or rubble through deliberate action.
   • To defeat someone utterly and convincingly: To overcome an opponent in a competition or argument by a very large margin.
   • To refute an argument, theory, or idea completely: To show that a concept is entirely wrong or invalid.
   • (Informal) To eat something quickly and completely: To consume food rapidly and voraciously.

Usage and Examples

• Destroying a structure:
  • The old factory was demolished to make way for a new park.
  • The hurricane demolished entire coastal villages.
• Defeating an opponent:
  • The champion demolished the challenger in the first round.
  • Our debate team demolished their arguments with solid evidence.
• Refuting an idea:
  • The new research demolished the long-held theory about the disease's origin.
  • He demolished her proposal point by point during the meeting.
• Eating voraciously (informal):
  • The kids demolished the entire pizza in under ten minutes.
  • After the marathon, he demolished a huge plate of pasta.

Advanced Usage

• "to demolish the competition": To defeat all rivals decisively.
  • The new tech company aims to demolish the competition with its innovative product.
• "to demolish someone's hopes/dreams": To completely destroy someone's aspirations or morale.
  • The rejection letter demolished her hopes of attending her dream university.

Variants and Related Words

• Demolition (n): The act or process of demolishing, especially buildings.
  • The demolition of the bridge will begin next week.
• Demolisher (n): A person or thing that demolishes. (Less common)
  • He was known as a demolisher of outdated business models.

Synonyms

• Destroy: To damage something so severely that it no longer exists or functions.
• Raze: To completely destroy a building, town, etc., especially to the ground.
• Annihilate: To destroy something completely so that nothing is left; often used in contexts of conflict or argument.
• Devastate: To cause great damage or destruction to something; can also refer to causing severe emotional shock.
• Crush: To defeat someone completely; also, to press something so hard that it loses its shape.

Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Demolish" itself is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically expressed directly.)

Related Idioms

• "to knock down": Often used interchangeably with "demolish" for buildings.
  • They plan to knock down that old warehouse.
• "to tear down": To demolish or dismantle a structure.
  • The city decided to tear down the unsafe building.
• "to wipe the floor with someone": (Idiom) To defeat someone very easily and completely, similar to "demolish" in a competitive sense.
  • In the chess match, she wiped the floor with her experienced opponent.

Verb

1. defeat soundly
   • The home team demolished the visitors
2. humiliate or depress completely
   • She was crushed by his refusal of her invitation
   • The death of her son smashed her
3. destroy completely
   • the wrecking ball demolished the building
   • demolish your enemies
   • pulverize the rebellion before it gets out of hand