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teardown

TAIR-down /ˈtɛərdaʊn/

nounC1TOEFL

professionalindustry-specific

The act of dismantling and packing up temporary structures, booths, and equipment at the end of an event.

A highly coordinated, post-event logistical phase focused on efficiency and restoring the venue to its original state.

The story behind the word. A phrasal noun derived from the English verb phrase 'tear down' (to dismantle), which dates back to Middle English. In the modern event industry, it became a single word describing the final logistical phase of an expo.

Word relationships

dismantling: Dismantling is a general term for taking something apart, while teardown is specifically used in events and engineering for a structured, temporary pack-up.
strike: Strike is a theatrical term for dismantling a set, whereas teardown is more common in corporate events and trade shows.

setup: The process of assembling and preparing structures before an event, the direct opposite of teardown.

Commonly confused with

breakdown: A breakdown can refer to a mechanical failure or a detailed analysis, while teardown is the physical act of taking a structure apart.

Word family

tear down (verb phrase): To dismantle or take apart.

Collocations

event teardown
teardown crew
post-show teardown
teardown process

Example sentences

"The crew began the teardown of the main stage immediately after the concert ended." Dismantling the stage after a concert.

Memory hook

You literally 'tear' the booths 'down' to pack them into trucks. Dismantling the show.

When not to use

Do not use for the permanent demolition of a building (use 'demolition' instead).

Fun facts

In product engineering, a 'teardown' is the process of taking a competitor's product apart to analyze its components and manufacturing costs.

Related words

exhibitor, logistics, venue

Explore more words

dismantle, demolition, demobilize, renovation, staging, dismount