dismantle
/dɪsˈmæntl/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪsˈmæntl/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)dis-ˈman-tᵊl/ (ame, mw)
dismantle — verb
- dismantlepresent simple I / you / we / they
- dismantleshe / she / it
- dismantledpast simple
- dismantling-ing form
1. to separate a machine, piece of equipment, or building into the parts it is made
to separate a machine, piece of equipment, or building into the parts it is made of
Felix spent the whole afternoon dismantling the old bookshelf to reuse the wood.
dismantling + [object] to reuse materials
The mechanic carefully dismantled the car engine piece by piece on the workbench.
Before moving house, Adina and her brother dismantled the wooden bed frame.
The crew dismantled the concert stage and loaded the parts onto a truck.
Caio and his father dismantled the camping tent and packed it away in two hours.
- take apart
more common in everyday spoken English; less formal
- disassemble
suggests a more methodical process, often following the reverse of assembly steps
- strip down
focuses on removing outer parts or coverings to reach the inside
- assemble
putting parts together rather than separating them
- put together
the opposite action; commonly used in everyday instructions
文法句型
dismantle + [object]
[object] dismantles easily
用法筆記
Unlike destroy or break, dismantle implies a careful separation that often allows the parts to be reused or reassembled later. The occasional intransitive use appears in descriptions of how something comes apart (e.g. 'The scaffolding dismantles easily').
常見錯誤
2. to gradually stop or remove a system, policy, or organization, especially one th
to gradually stop or remove a system, policy, or organization, especially one that has existed for a long time
The government announced a plan to dismantle the old education system over five years.
dismantle + system + over [time period]
The company gradually dismantled its overseas offices as part of the restructuring.
Activists have been pushing for years to dismantle the outdated tax rules.
Mizuki worried that the new law would dismantle the healthcare network her grandmother relied on.
The committee voted to dismantle the scholarship program and redirect the funds to other areas.
文法句型
dismantle + [system/organization/policy]
dismantle + [system] + over [time period]
用法筆記
Subject is typically an authority — a government, company, board, or legislative body. The object is an established structure (system, program, department, network) rather than a one-time event or relationship.
常見錯誤
3. to prove that a belief, argument, or theory has no truth or is unfounded by poin
to prove that a belief, argument, or theory has no truth or is unfounded by pointing out its weaknesses
The lawyer dismantled the witness's story by showing clear contradictions in her account.
dismantle + [argument/story] in a formal context
Élise dismantled the popular idea that success depends mostly on luck rather than effort.
Ritu's research paper systematically dismantles the claim that video games cause violent behavior.
During the debate, Chidi dismantled each of his opponent's arguments one by one.
文法句型
dismantle + [argument/claim/theory]
dismantle + [someone's] + [position/argument]
用法筆記
Common in academic writing, legal arguments, and formal debates. The figure is usually broken down point by point rather than dismissed all at once. Distinguish from sense 1: here nothing is physically separated — the target is an idea or position.