verb

raze

rayz

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Raze (verb) means to tear a building, town, or structure down completely, leaving nothing standing. Example: “The old cinema was razed to make way for a shopping centre.”

verb

To tear a building, town, or structure down completely, leaving nothing standing.

"The old cinema was razed to make way for a shopping centre."

"Much of the historic quarter was razed during the war."

To scrape, shave, or graze something lightly, or to cut a shallow mark into a surface.

"The bullet razed his shoulder without doing serious damage."

How to use raze

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo flatten something completely, usually a building or town, so nothing is left standing.

Common mistake

Easily confused with "raise" — they sound alike but mean opposite things: raze knocks down, raise puts up. Always double-check which one you mean before using it in writing.

Easily confused with

raise → razor →

Common pairings

razed to the ground raze a building razed the town

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: razes
Third person singular: razes
Past tense: razed
Archaic forms: razest, razedst, razeth

Test yourself on “raze” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old cinema was _____ to make way for a shopping centre.

Etymology

From Old French raser ("to shave, to graze, to demolish"), from Vulgar Latin roots meaning "to scrape or shave" — the same family that gave English "razor" and "erase."

Origin: Vulgar Latin

Synonyms

View more →

dismantle rase level

Antonyms

build raise erect

Related words

make point level body story figure create straight

Rhymes for raze

faze haze daze gaze maze baze amaze blaze craze glaze graze ablaze

See all rhymes for raze →

Frequently asked questions

What does “raze” mean?

The word “raze” means to tear a building, town, or structure down completely, leaving nothing standing. In plain terms, to flatten something completely, usually a building or town, so nothing is left standing.

How do you pronounce “raze”?

“Raze” is pronounced rayz (/ɹeɪz/ in IPA).

How do you use “raze” in a sentence?

Here is “raze” used in a sentence: “The old cinema was razed to make way for a shopping centre.”

What part of speech is “raze”?

“Raze” is a verb.

Where does the word “raze” come from?

The word “raze” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French raser ("to shave, to graze, to demolish"), from Vulgar Latin roots meaning "to scrape or shave" — the same family that gave English "razor" and "erase.".

How many meanings does “raze” have?

“Raze” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to tear a building, town, or structure down completely, leaving nothing standing.

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