raze

or rase

[ reyz ]

verb (used with object)

, razed, raz·ing.

1. to tear down; demolish; level to the ground:

   to raze a row of old buildings.

2. to shave or scrape off.

raze

/ reɪz /

verb

1. to demolish (a town, buildings, etc) completely; level (esp in the phrase raze to the ground )
2. to delete; erase
3. archaic.
   to graze

Derived Forms

• ˈrazer, noun

Other Words From

• razer noun
• un·razed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of raze¹

1540–50; Middle English rasen < Middle French raser < *Vulgar Latin rāsāre to scrape, frequentative of Latin rādere to scrape

Word History and Origins

Origin of raze¹

C16: from Old French raser from Latin rādere to scrape

Synonym Study

See destroy.

Example Sentences

Trump has made it clear that he intends to raze that wall in his first days in office.

From Los Angeles Times

Central Park: This is what you’d get if you flattened Griffith Park, razed its observatory, shrunk its zoo, obliterated its golf courses and let the drum circle pound away all weekend.

From Los Angeles Times

Entire districts have been razed to the ground.

From BBC

The memo described instances of Israeli interference with aid efforts, including killing aid workers, razing agricultural structures, bombing ambulances and hospitals, sitting on supply depots and routinely turning away trucks full of food and medicine.

From Salon

"It was my house and I built it with a lot of hard work. How can they just come and raze it without even telling me?"

From BBC

Related Words

• bulldoze
• demolish
• destroy
• dynamite
• erase
• extinguish
• obliterate
• overthrow
• scatter
• smash
• topple
• wipe out
• wreck