What does raze mean?
Raze means to destroy a building or other structure completely, often by demolishing it down to the ground. The word is especially associated with deliberate destruction in urban development, warfare, and accounts of major fires or disasters. It can also be used figuratively to mean that something has been completely removed or obliterated, although this usage is less common. In everyday speech, raze may be confused with raise, but the words have opposite directions of action: raising involves lifting or increasing, while razing involves leveling or destroying. Because raze conveys thorough and often dramatic destruction, it is stronger and more forceful than words such as damage or spoil. Its unusual history also makes it memorable: it shares an ancient Latin root with erase, a word for removing marks from a surface.
verbTo destroy a building or structure completely, especially by demolishing it down to the ground. It can also mean to remove something entirely.
- To destroy a building or structure completely, especially by demolishing it down to the ground.
- To remove or destroy something completely, especially in a figurative or informal context.
"The old factory was razed to make way for a new housing development."
"The historic theatre was razed after it was deemed unsafe."
"The storm seemed to raze the entire garden, leaving only broken branches."
Raze comes from the same Latin root as erase: both originally meant to scrape or strip away.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does raze come from?
Raze comes through French from Latin radere, meaning “to scrape” or “erase.” The English word originally referred to scraping or erasing, especially letters, before developing its sense of demolishing a building completely. Related forms include erase, eraser, rasure, and rasp, reflecting the same broad idea of removing or wearing away a surface.
Related word forms
How raze is actually used
Raze is especially used for the deliberate or dramatic destruction of buildings and structures. Its figurative use is less common and can sound dramatic or literary.
Easily confused with raze
Raise means to lift something upward or increase its value, whereas raze means to destroy a structure completely.
Erase generally means to remove writing or information, while raze usually means to demolish a building or structure.