Word
takedown
Phoneticstake·down
Definition
n. the act of defeating someone or removing something from the internet. You use this when a wrestler pins an opponent or when a website removes a post.
n. the act of defeating, disarming, or removing someone or something from a position of influence or visibility. Often refers to physical grappling in sports or the removal of digital content due to legal or policy violations.
Examples
“The wrestler scored points for a perfect takedown.”
“The video platform issued a takedown of the clip after the studio filed a copyright claim.”
“The journalist's latest article was a systematic takedown of the senator's economic policy, exposing several inconsistencies in the proposed budget.”
Examples
simple
“The wrestler scored points for a perfect takedown.”
contextual
“The video platform issued a takedown of the clip after the studio filed a copyright claim.”
complex
“The journalist's latest article was a systematic takedown of the senator's economic policy, exposing several inconsistencies in the proposed budget.”
Usage
Commonly used in sports, law enforcement, and digital rights contexts.
Pitfall
The police take down the suspect.
The police performed a takedown of the suspect.
Learners often confuse the one-word noun 'takedown' with the two-word phrasal verb 'take down'.
Real-World Examples
“But not every glowing recommendation or one-star takedown reflects a genuine customer experience.” “The White House has not responded to requests for comment from the BBC or given an official reason for the takedown.” Etymology
Deverbal from take down.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/takedown