decimate

verb

dec·​i·​mate ˈde-sə-ˌmāt How to pronounce decimate (audio)
decimated; decimating

transitive verb

1
: to select by lot and kill every tenth man of
decimate a regiment
2
: to exact a tax of 10 percent from
poor as a decimated CavalierJohn Dryden
3
a
: to reduce drastically especially in number
cholera decimated the population
Kamieniecki's return comes at a crucial time for a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries.Jason Diamos
b
: to cause great destruction or harm to
firebombs decimated the city
an industry decimated by recession
decimation noun

Did you know?

The connection between decimate and the number ten harks back to a brutal practice of the army of ancient Rome. A unit that was guilty of a severe crime (such as mutiny) was punished by selecting and executing one-tenth of its soldiers, thereby scaring the remaining nine-tenths into obedience. The word comes from Latin decem, meaning "ten." Decimate strayed from its "tenth" meaning and nowadays refers to the act of destroying or hurting something in great numbers.

Examples of decimate in a Sentence

This kind of moth is responsible for decimating thousands of trees in our town. Budget cuts have decimated public services in small towns.
Recent Examples on the Web A bit reminiscent of A Quiet Place, Arcadian takes place in a near future where normal life on Earth has been decimated. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Bronzeville, the heart of Milwaukee's Black community, is decimated for I-43 From the 1930s to 1950s, Bronzeville was the heart of Black culture and business in Milwaukee. Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 The Sharks have been decimated at times this season at the center position. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 Over 1,000 homes were burned down, hundreds more were looted and destroyed, and the thriving business district known as Black Wall Street was decimated. Analisa Novak, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2024 The disease, known as sea star wasting syndrome, decimated 95% of the creature’s population in 2013, leading to the sea star’s designation as a critically endangered species, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2024 Union power was decimated, especially as American manufacturers moved work to nonunion plants in the South. Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Israel’s bombardment and severe restrictions on aid entering the strip have diminished critical food, fuel, water and medical supplies, decimated the health care system and exposed the entire population of more than 2.2 million people to mass displacement and deadly disease. Khader Al Za’anoun, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Then global competition, particularly from Latin America, decimated the market. Peter Hecht, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decimate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin decimatus, past participle of decimare, from decimus tenth, from decem ten

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decimate was in 1660

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Dictionary Entries Near decimate

Cite this Entry

“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decimate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

decimate

verb
dec·​i·​mate ˈdes-ə-ˌmāt How to pronounce decimate (audio)
decimated; decimating
1
: to pick by lot and kill every tenth man of
the Roman army would decimate a legion for cowardice
2
: to destroy a large part of
a population decimated by an epidemic
decimation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decimate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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