To demolish means to completely destroy or tear down a structure, usually a building. When a city demolishes an old, unsafe warehouse, construction crews use heavy machinery like wrecking balls and bulldozers to knock it down until nothing remains but rubble. Unlike careful renovation, which preserves parts of a building, demolition means taking the whole thing apart.

The word also means to utterly defeat or destroy something in a non-physical way. A debate team might demolish their opponents' arguments by pointing out flaws in their logic. A soccer team could demolish their rivals 8-0, winning so decisively that the other team never had a chance. You might demolish a huge sandwich at lunch, eating every last bite.

What makes demolition different from ordinary destruction is its completeness and thoroughness. A storm might damage a barn, but a demolition crew demolishes it, leaving nothing standing. When someone demolishes an idea or argument, they don't just poke holes in it. They completely take it apart until nothing of the original remains. The word carries a sense of total, unstoppable force.