1
as in tower
a large, magnificent, or massive building
the U.S. Capitol is one of our nation's most impressive edifices
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2
as in building
something built as a dwelling, shelter, or place for human activity
the first edifices built by the colonists were primitive huts with walls of dried mud and roofs covered with thatch
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3
as in structure
the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form
the edifice of the argument is quite simple, once you get past the fancy language
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Examples of edifice in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The building’s cornerstone contains ore from the mines that were active in the area when it was built in 1910, and its white brick edifice was shipped in from Salt Lake City, according to a city historical document.
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Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 13 July 2024
The entire edifice, for example, was raised to circumvent flooding, and resilient French windows were installed to offer protection from fierce rain and winds.
—Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2024
When the real-estate market cracked, the value of the underlying mortgage securities collapsed, and the whole edifice came tumbling down, eventually prompting a taxpayer bailout.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
If the plan succeeds, this will be a Games full of picturesque views at nearly every venue, a postcard kind of majesty made to seem simple by leaning into the classic beauty of long-standing edifices.
—Jerry Brewer, Washington Post, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for edifice 
Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 13 July 2024
The entire edifice, for example, was raised to circumvent flooding, and resilient French windows were installed to offer protection from fierce rain and winds.
—Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2024
When the real-estate market cracked, the value of the underlying mortgage securities collapsed, and the whole edifice came tumbling down, eventually prompting a taxpayer bailout.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
If the plan succeeds, this will be a Games full of picturesque views at nearly every venue, a postcard kind of majesty made to seem simple by leaning into the classic beauty of long-standing edifices.
—Jerry Brewer, Washington Post, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for edifice
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'edifice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Edifice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/edifice. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
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