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
The original house burned down almost three years ago along with 19 others in the neighborhood.
—
Tony Saavedra, Orange County Register, 24 Feb. 2025
Even though Palisades Lutheran Church had not burned down, their community — and members’ homes — were in ashes.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2025
With the couple’s home burning down just two weeks before in the Pacific Palisades fire, the wedding was a particularly poignant celebration for the couple.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2025
Over 150 firefighters battled the blaze that burnt down the Iglesia Pentacostal Arca Cristiana church in Bushwick around 10:30 a.m.
—Joanna Moriello, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn down
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.
Tony Saavedra, Orange County Register, 24 Feb. 2025
Even though Palisades Lutheran Church had not burned down, their community — and members’ homes — were in ashes.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2025
With the couple’s home burning down just two weeks before in the Pacific Palisades fire, the wedding was a particularly poignant celebration for the couple.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2025
Over 150 firefighters battled the blaze that burnt down the Iglesia Pentacostal Arca Cristiana church in Bushwick around 10:30 a.m.
—Joanna Moriello, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burn down
Cite this Entry
“Burn down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burn%20down. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share