Words / B2

di-MOL-ish/dɪˈmɒlɪʃ/

To demolish is to pull a building down, or to destroy an argument: demolish a wing; demolish a claim. Destroy is wider; knock down is everyday for buildings. The trust will demolish the 1960s block. Do not use demolish for gently revising a paragraph.

Meaning

To pull down a building; also to destroy an argument completely.

Examples

• “The trust will demolish the 1960s wing in the Easter break.”
• “Counsel demolished the alibi, which is the argument sense.”

Good to know

demolish a building / argument. Everyday: knock down. Wider: destroy. Planning notices and courtroom reporting. Noun: demolition.

Near in meaning

destroy

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