derribar
“derribar” means “to knock down” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to knock down
Also: to tackle, to demolish
📝 In Action
Tuvieron que derribar el viejo muro para ampliar la calle.
B1They had to knock down the old wall to widen the street.
El boxeador derribó a su oponente en el tercer asalto.
B2The boxer knocked down his opponent in the third round.
to overthrow
Also: to debunk, to shoot down
📝 In Action
El movimiento social logró derribar al dictador.
C1The social movement managed to overthrow the dictator.
Sus pruebas derribaron el mito de que la tierra era plana.
B2His evidence debunked the myth that the earth was flat.
Las defensas lograron derribar el dron enemigo.
B2The defenses managed to shoot down the enemy drone.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: derribar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'derribar' to mean 'to debunk'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the prefix 'de-' (down) and 'arribar' (originally to reach the shore), evolving to mean tilting something until it hits the ground.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'derribar' always physical?
No! While it often means physically knocking something down, it is very common in news and science to mean 'overthrowing' a leader or 'disproving' a myth.