raze

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled rase

US /reɪz/ UK /reɪz/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like res /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/ Sounds like laze /l/ vs /r/

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to demolish or level completely to the ground

The old factory was razed to make room for flats.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to demolish or level... demolish flatten level destroy obliterate dismantle

Opposites

build erect construct

Word family

Related forms erase razorrase

Etymology

From Old French raser ('to scrape, shave close'), from Latin rasus, past participle of radere ('to scrape, shave').

raser Old French radere Latin

View etymology graph ->

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Actions & Processes

# raze

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** reɪz
**IPA (UK):** reɪz

## Meanings
1. to demolish or level completely to the ground

## Examples
- The old factory was razed to make room for flats.

## Synonyms
- demolish
- flatten
- level
- destroy
- obliterate
- dismantle

## Antonyms
- build
- erect
- construct

## Related Forms
- erase
- razor
- rase

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: raser
- Root: radere

## Etymology
From Old French raser ('to scrape, shave close'), from Latin rasus, past participle of radere ('to scrape, shave').

## AI Etymology
Raze is from Old French raser ('to scrape, shave close'), from Latin rasus, past participle of radere ('to scrape, shave'). Important recorded forms include raser (Old French) and radere (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to demolish or level completely to the ground. The wider family includes related words such as erase, razor, and rase.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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raze

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