burn down

phrasal verb

burned down or burnt down; burning down; burns down
1
of a building or other structure : to be destroyed by fire
The hotel burned down in 1922.
2
of a fire : to become smaller : to gradually produce less and less flame
We watched the fire as it slowly burned down.
3
: to destroy (something) by fire
Vandals burned down the school.
burned it down

Examples of burn down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, Spencer went on to explain that his original gripe with the exchange was that after telling the representative his home burned down, the employee continued the standard prompt of questions and inquired about the cable boxes. Moná Thomas, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025 The church caught fire and burned down on the first night of the Palisades Fire, which began the morning of January 7. Jason Derose, NPR, 5 Mar. 2025 Elsa Rodriguez and her husband are fortunate; their house in Pasadena did not burn down, but they were displaced because of evacuations and damage from Jan. 7 until Feb. 17 with only eight nights covered by insurance. Daisy Verduzco Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2025 Ethan Paul Early, a 25-year-old from Ashland City, Tenn., was charged with an act of terrorism after threatening to burn down a Memphis xAI facility due to his anger at Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, according to authorities. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for burn down

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burn down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burn%20down. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!