Explanation at your level:
Démolir means to break a building. If a house is old, people use machines to démolir it. It is like breaking a toy tower. You can use it when talking about big changes in a city.
You use démolir when you talk about taking down a structure. For example, 'Ils vont démolir le vieux cinéma.' It is a useful word for describing construction sites or big changes in your neighborhood.
Démolir is a standard verb for destruction. You can use it for buildings, but also for abstract things like arguments or plans. It is more intense than just 'breaking' something; it implies complete removal.
At this level, you can use démolir to express strong criticism. If someone 'démolit' a project, they are criticizing it very harshly. It is a powerful way to describe a total defeat of an idea or a person's status.
The usage of démolir extends into the nuance of 'shattering' expectations or records. It is often used in journalistic contexts to describe the total dismantling of a political stance or a sports performance. It carries a weight of finality and absolute change.
In literary or advanced contexts, démolir can describe the psychological breakdown or the erosion of long-standing social structures. It is a word that conveys the irreversible nature of an action, whether it is physical, intellectual, or emotional. It is synonymous with total negation.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Means to knock down a building.
- Used figuratively for arguments.
- Regular -ir verb.
- Synonym of détruire.
When you hear the word démolir, think of a wrecking ball in action. It is a French verb that means to pull down or knock down a building. It is a very direct, physical word that describes the process of turning a standing structure into a pile of debris.
Beyond construction, you might hear it used in a figurative sense. If someone destroys an opponent's argument in a debate, they have essentially 'demolished' it. It is a strong, powerful verb that carries a sense of finality and total destruction.
The word démolir comes directly from the Latin word demoliri. This Latin root is a combination of de-, which means 'down' or 'away', and moliri, which means 'to build' or 'to construct'. It is fascinating that the word literally means to 'un-build' something!
It entered the French language in the 14th century. Over time, it kept its core meaning of taking down structures. It shares a common ancestor with the English word 'demolish', making it very easy for English speakers to recognize and remember.
You will most often see démolir used in contexts involving construction, city planning, or demolition crews. For example, a city might decide to démolir un vieux bâtiment (demolish an old building) to make space for a new park.
In casual conversation, you can use it to describe eating a meal very quickly. If you are starving, you might say, 'J'ai démoli mon repas!' (I demolished my meal). It is a versatile word that moves easily between formal reports and energetic, informal speech.
While there are few fixed idioms, the word is used in many set phrases. 1. Démolir quelqu'un: To destroy someone's reputation. 2. Démolir un argument: To prove an argument is completely wrong. 3. Démolir le moral: To ruin someone's mood or spirit. 4. Démolir un record: To shatter a previous record. 5. Se faire démolir: To be severely criticized by others.
Démolir is a regular second-group verb (ending in -ir). This means it follows the standard conjugation pattern for verbs like finir. You will see it conjugated as je démolie, tu démolies, il démolit, and so on.
The pronunciation is /de.mɔ.liʁ/. The stress is on the final syllable, which is typical for French. It rhymes with words like finir, choisir, and réussir. Remember to keep the 'r' at the end soft and guttural for that authentic French sound.
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'molecule' (moles = mass).
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'day-mo-leer'
Sounds like 'day-ma-leer'
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the final 'r' too hard
- Adding an extra syllable
- Ignoring the nasal 'on' sound
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Easy to write
Easy to say
Easy to hear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Second group verbs
Finir, démolir
Passive voice
Le mur est démoli
Future proche
Il va démolir
Examples by Level
Ils vont démolir la maison.
They will demolish the house.
Future proche
Le mur est démoli.
The wall is demolished.
Passive voice
On démolit le vieux pont.
We are demolishing the old bridge.
Present tense
Ne démolissez pas ça !
Do not demolish that!
Imperative
Il veut démolir l'abri.
He wants to demolish the shed.
Verb + infinitive
La tour est démolie.
The tower is demolished.
Past participle
Ils démolissent le garage.
They are demolishing the garage.
Regular -ir conjugation
Qui va démolir cela ?
Who is going to demolish that?
Question structure
Ils ont décidé de démolir le bâtiment.
La ville va démolir cette rue.
Il faut démolir ce vieux mur.
Les ouvriers démolissent le toit.
Le projet a été démoli par le maire.
On a démoli l'ancienne école.
Ils vont démolir le stade.
Elle craint qu'ils ne démolissent sa maison.
Il a complètement démoli mes arguments.
Le tremblement de terre a démoli la ville.
Ses critiques ont démoli ma confiance.
Ils ont démoli le record du monde.
Le vent a démoli la tente.
Il a démoli son adversaire au tennis.
Elle a démoli le gâteau en deux minutes.
Le rapport a démoli toute la stratégie.
Ses paroles ont démoli mes espoirs.
Il a démoli la réputation de son rival.
L'entreprise a été démolie par la crise.
Le scandale a démoli sa carrière.
Ils ont démoli le mythe de la perfection.
Le critique a démoli le nouveau film.
Il a démoli les fondations de cette théorie.
La nouvelle a démoli tout son enthousiasme.
Le discours a démoli les préjugés du public.
Il a démoli la structure hiérarchique de l'entreprise.
Cette défaite a démoli son moral pour longtemps.
Le changement climatique démolit nos certitudes.
Il a démoli le système en place avec audace.
Sa thèse a démoli les idées reçues de l'époque.
La tempête a démoli les espoirs de récolte.
Il a démoli l'opposition avec une logique implacable.
Le philosophe a démoli la métaphysique traditionnelle.
La révolution a démoli les institutions monarchiques.
L'érosion démolit lentement les falaises côtières.
Il a démoli les conventions sociales par son comportement.
Cette expérience a démoli ses convictions les plus profondes.
Le temps démolit inexorablement les monuments anciens.
Il a démoli les barrières linguistiques avec aisance.
La crise a démoli la cohésion sociale du pays.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"Démolir quelqu'un"
To ruin someone's reputation.
La presse a cherché à le démolir.
neutral"Démolir un mythe"
To prove a popular belief is false.
Ce livre démolit le mythe du héros.
formal"Se faire démolir"
To be harshly criticized.
Il s'est fait démolir lors de l'examen.
casual"Démolir le moral"
To make someone feel very sad.
Ce refus a démoli son moral.
neutral"Démolir un record"
To beat a record by a lot.
Il a démoli le record précédent.
neutral"Démolir en règle"
To destroy systematically.
Il a démoli en règle ses adversaires.
formalEasily Confused
Both mean taking apart.
Démonter is for machines, démolir for structures.
Démonter un moteur vs démolir une maison.
Both mean destroy.
Détruire is more abstract/general.
Détruire un espoir vs démolir un mur.
Both mean break.
Casser is for small objects.
Casser un verre vs démolir un immeuble.
Both imply destruction.
Anéantir is much more formal.
Anéantir un ennemi vs démolir un bâtiment.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + démolir + Direct Object
Ils démolissent le mur.
Subject + va + démolir + Direct Object
Il va démolir la maison.
Se faire + démolir
Il s'est fait démolir.
Démolir + figurative concept
Il a démoli son argument.
Démolir + record
Elle a démoli le record.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
Démolir is for structures.
Démonter implies taking apart, not destroying.
Démolir is figurative for people.
It follows the regular -ir pattern.
Démolir is strong and colloquial.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a wrecking ball hitting your house.
Native usage
Used in news for buildings.
Cultural Insight
Often used in urban renewal.
Grammar Shortcut
Regular -ir verb.
Say It Right
Stress the last syllable.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't use for small items.
Did You Know?
Latin root means 'un-build'.
Study Smart
Use flashcards.
Collocations
Learn with 'bâtiment'.
Verb Tenses
Master the past participle.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
De-molish: De (down) + molish (build).
Visual Association
A crane hitting a wall.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences using démolir.
Word Origin
Latin
Original meaning: To take down or build down.
Cultural Context
None, but can be aggressive.
Direct translation of 'demolish'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Construction
- démolir un immeuble
- chantier de démolition
- permis de démolir
Debate
- démolir un argument
- démolir une théorie
- démolir les faits
Sports
- démolir un record
- démolir l'adversaire
- démolir la défense
Daily Life
- démolir son repas
- démolir le moral
- se faire démolir
Conversation Starters
"What is the biggest thing you have seen demolished?"
"Do you think we should demolish old buildings?"
"Have you ever demolished a meal?"
"How do you react when someone demolishes your argument?"
"Is it sad to see old buildings demolished?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a building you would like to see demolished.
Write about a time you felt 'demolished' by criticism.
If you could demolish one thing in your city, what would it be?
How does demolition change a city's history?
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsUsually, but it can be positive in sports (breaking records).
Yes, in a casual way.
Yes, second group.
Yes, mostly.
Only figuratively.
Démolition.
Yes, for projects.
Guttural, in the back of the throat.
Test Yourself
Ils vont ___ le vieux mur.
Démolir is for structures.
Which means to knock down?
Démolir means to knock down.
Can you démolir an argument?
It is used figuratively.
Word
Meaning
Antonyms.
Subject-Verb-Object.
Sa critique a ___ ses espoirs.
Figurative destruction.
Which is a synonym?
Anéantir is a synonym.
Démolir is a regular -ir verb.
It follows the -ir rule.
Standard structure.
Ils ont ___ le record.
Démolir a record.
Score: /10
Summary
Démolir is the go-to verb for taking down structures, whether physical buildings or abstract ideas.
- Means to knock down a building.
- Used figuratively for arguments.
- Regular -ir verb.
- Synonym of détruire.
Memory Palace
Imagine a wrecking ball hitting your house.
Native usage
Used in news for buildings.
Cultural Insight
Often used in urban renewal.
Grammar Shortcut
Regular -ir verb.
Example
Ils vont démolir l'ancien bâtiment pour construire un nouveau centre commercial.
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More home words
à disposition
B1Available for use; at one's disposal.
à distance de
B1At a certain distance from something.
à droite de
B1To the right of; on the right side of.
à gauche de
B1To the left of; on the left side of.
à gaz
A2Powered by gas; gas-powered.
à la maison
A2At home; in one's place of residence.
à l'écart
B1Away from others; apart; aside.
à l'étage
B1On an upper floor of a building; upstairs.
à l'extérieur
A2On or to the outer side or surface of something.
à l'intérieur
A2In or to the inner part or interior of something.
