demolition
gb/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən/ us/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
process
1
pulling a building down
when a building is intentionally knocked down
Usage pattern:
demolition of [building/structure]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse demolition with demonstration (a protest or showing).
Synonyms
tearing down (common phrase for demolishing a building)
|
razing (suggests destroying completely, often to the ground)
|
dismantling (emphasizes taking apart, sometimes more carefully)
Antonyms
construction (the process of building rather than destroying)
|
renovation (improving a building instead of removing it)
Collocations
building demolition
|demolition of a house
|demolition of a bridge
|planned demolition
|controlled demolition
|demolition work
|demolition contractor
|demolition permit
|demolition site
|demolition debris
Themes
construction
|housing
|city_life
|engineering
Examples
- The city approved the demolition of the old library to make way for new apartments.
- Demolition began at dawn, and the structure was gone by the afternoon.
- Residents complained about noise and dust during the demolition.
Learner examples
- The demolition of the building starts tomorrow.
- They closed the street for demolition work.
Noun
C1
event
2
complete destruction of something
when something is totally destroyed or made to fail
Usage pattern:
the demolition of [plan/idea/reputation/system]
Common mistake:
In this figurative sense, demolition is usually about something being ruined completely, not just criticized.
Synonyms
destruction (broader and less vivid than demolition)
|
ruin (emphasizes the resulting damage or loss)
|
dismantling (often used for institutions or systems taken apart over time)
Antonyms
preservation (keeping something safe and intact)
|
restoration (bringing something back after damage)
Collocations
the demolition of a plan
|the demolition of an argument
|the demolition of a reputation
|political demolition
|systematic demolition
|total demolition
|public demolition
|media demolition
Themes
society
|communication
|conflict
Examples
- The report led to the demolition of the company's carefully managed public image.
- Her calm response was a demolition of his argument.
- Many voters feared the demolition of long-standing protections.
Learner examples
- The scandal caused the demolition of his reputation.
Noun
informal
C1
event
3
one-sided defeat in sport
a win by a very large margin
Usage pattern:
a [score] demolition of [team/opponent]
Common mistake:
This sense is informal; in formal writing, prefer heavy defeat or decisive win.
Synonyms
rout (often used for a very one-sided sporting result)
|
thrashing (informal and vivid; suggests strong dominance)
|
blowout (common in American English for a lopsided game)
Antonyms
narrow win (a victory by a small margin)
|
draw (no winner)
Collocations
a 5–0 demolition
|a total demolition
|a home demolition
|a demolition win
|a demolition victory
|suffer a demolition
|deliver a demolition
Themes
sports
|competition
Examples
- It was a 6–1 demolition, and the away fans left early.
- Their demolition of the league leaders shocked everyone.
- After last week's demolition, the coach changed the lineup.
Learner examples
- The match ended in a demolition.
Noun
business
B2
abstract
4
work of demolishing buildings
the job or industry of knocking buildings down
Usage pattern:
work in demolition
Common mistake:
Learners may treat demolition only as a single event; it can also mean the type of work or industry.
Synonyms
wrecking (informal term sometimes used for the same line of work)
|
site clearance (emphasizes clearing the land after removal)
Antonyms
building (creating structures rather than removing them)
Collocations
the demolition industry
|demolition firm
|demolition company
|demolition services
|specialist demolition
|demolition and clearance
|demolition costs
|demolition contract
Themes
business
|construction
|jobs
Examples
- He works in demolition and specializes in taking down industrial sites.
- The project includes demolition and site clearance before construction begins.
- The company expanded from demolition into recycling concrete and steel.
Learner examples
- She has a job in demolition.
Grammar
Dictionary form
demolition
IPA
GB/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən/
US/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
de - moli - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (tion)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: demolition
- Plural: demolition, demolitions
Word family
Forms
demolitions
noun
Core family
demolish
verb B2
Related words
demolisher
noun
Advanced or less common
demolitionist
noun
Expressions
controlled demolition
1/kəntɹˈoʊld dˌɛməlˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
planned building collapse
a careful, planned way to bring a building down
Examples
- The stadium was removed by controlled demolition to protect nearby buildings.
- Engineers planned a controlled demolition that brought the tower straight down.
- Residents were evacuated before the controlled demolition began.
demolition contractor
1/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən kəntɹˈæktɚ/
fixed phrase
business
company hired to demolish
a business that knocks buildings down for a project
Examples
- They hired a demolition contractor to remove the unsafe garage.
- The demolition contractor submitted a detailed safety plan.
- Our demolition contractor handled asbestos removal before taking the building down.
demolition crew
1/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən kɹˈu/
fixed phrase
team that knocks buildings down
a group of workers who take buildings down
Examples
- A demolition crew arrived early to start dismantling the roof.
- The demolition crew cordoned off the area for safety.
- The demolition crew removed the debris before the next phase began.
demolition derby
1/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən dˈɚbi/
fixed phrase
cars crashing for sport
a show where cars crash until one is left running
Examples
- We watched a demolition derby at the county fair.
- Several cars were disabled in the first minute of the demolition derby.
- The demolition derby was the loudest event of the night.
demolition order
1/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
legal
official command to demolish
an official order to knock a building down
Examples
- The council issued a demolition order after the fire.
- The owners appealed the demolition order in court.
- A demolition order was served because the structure was unsafe.
demolition permit
1/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən pˈɚmɪt/
fixed phrase
legal
official permission to demolish
official permission to knock a building down
Examples
- You need a demolition permit before work can start.
- The city denied the demolition permit because the house was historically protected.
- They applied for a demolition permit and scheduled inspections.
demolition site
1/dˌɛməlˈɪʃən sˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
place where demolition happens
a place where a building is being knocked down
Examples
- Pedestrians were redirected around the demolition site.
- Dust from the demolition site drifted into nearby shops.
- Warning signs were posted all around the demolition site.
selective demolition
1/səlˈɛktɪv dˌɛməlˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
removing only certain parts
demolition that removes only some parts
Examples
- The renovation began with selective demolition of the interior walls.
- Selective demolition allowed them to keep the historic façade.
- They chose selective demolition to reduce waste and save materials.