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Glite Dictionary
housewrecker

housewrecker

7.8
A person or company that tears down houses to clear land
  • noun
  • /ˈhaʊsˌrɛkər/
translation icon : demolicionista
  • The company hired a housewrecker to tear down the old farmhouse.

Examples

  • As a professional housewrecker, she was used to clearing lots for new developments.

  • The housewrecker arrived early in the morning with heavy machinery.

  • The housewrecker arrived early to start the demolition.

  • Many housewreckers are busy this season.

  • The company hired a housewrecker to tear down the old farmhouse.

  • As a professional housewrecker, she was used to clearing lots for new developments.

  • The housewrecker arrived early in the morning with heavy machinery.

Synonyms

wrecker
vshousewrecker
1 6.2

A person who tears down buildings for work

focuses specifically on tearing down residential buildings rather than any building
demolisher
vshousewrecker
5.8

A person or machine that destroys buildings to clear land

is limited to businesses or people who remove residential buildings

Antonyms

builder
111 1.0

A person or company that organizes and supervises building work

renovator
1 4.2

A person who fixes and improves old houses, rooms, or furniture

Surface Forms

housewrecker singular
housewreckers plural

Morphology

housewrecker = house + wrecker (transparent) = house + wreck + er

The word is a straightforward compound of 'house' + 'wrecker' (itself 'wreck' + '-er'), so the meaning 'someone who demolishes houses' is directly inferable.

Etymology

Housewrecker comes from the two simple parts house ('home' or 'building') and wreck ('to destroy'), like a car wrecker who breaks cars or a shipwreck where a ship is ruined. So a housewrecker is literally someone or a company that destroys or tears down houses.