From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtear something ↔ down phrasal verbDESTROYto destroy a building deliberately A lot of the old tower blocks have been torn down to make way for new housing. → tear→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
tear down• But they can't tear him down.• My countrymen haven't learned to cherish the old, we are too quick to tear old buildings down.• Worthy mentors work to build you up, not tear you down.• The tears which coursed down his cheeks were not for the head groom.• They're tearing our house down love Can't live here anymore.• He stood at the window eating grapes from a paper bag torn open down the side.• Sometimes when this is whispered in the ears of those near death, tears roll down their cheeks.• They tore the fence down to get at us. 