destroyer

noun

de·​stroy·​er di-ˈstrȯi(-ə)r 

dē-

1

: one that destroys

2

: a small fast warship used especially to support larger vessels and usually armed with guns, depth charges, torpedoes, and often guided missiles

Examples of destroyer in a Sentence

The pamphlet describes alcohol as a destroyer of families.

Recent Examples on the Web

In August, the United States began assembling a large-scale deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea near northern Venezuela, creating a Joint Task Force that initially included three destroyers—equipped for air, anti-submarine and missile defense—and an amphibious group of roughly 4,500 troops. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025

Argentina and Venezuela each provided two destroyers and airplanes; Venezuela contributed its only submarine to the quarantine. —Time, 28 Oct. 2025

According to MT_Anderson, an open-source intelligence analyst on X, the remaining destroyers were spread across the Mediterranean, citing satellite imagery. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

To put that into perspective, that is bigger than current destroyers and closer to cruiser size. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing destroyer

• destroyer escort
• self-destroyer
• tank destroyer

Rhymes for destroyer

• employer
• foyer
• oyer
• multiemployer

Kids Definition

destroyer

noun

de·​stroy·​er di-ˈstrȯi(-ə)r 

1

: one that destroys

2

: a small fast warship armed with guns, depth charges, torpedoes, and often guided missiles