destroy

verb

de·​stroy di-ˈstrȯi 

dē-

destroyed; destroying; destroys

transitive verb

1

: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of

destroyed the files

also : to ruin as if by tearing to shreds

their reputation was destroyed

a disease that destroys the body's ability to fight off illness

… destroyed any hope of a return to past crackdowns …

—George Brock

2

a

: to put out of existence : kill

destroy an injured horse

b

: neutralize

the moon destroys the light of the stars

c

: annihilate, vanquish

… marines have been trained to close with and destroy the enemy. That's what we do.

—Stephen W. Larose

intransitive verb

: to cause ruin or destruction

It is proverbially easier to destroy than to construct …

—T. S. Eliot

Synonyms

• annihilate
• cream
• decimate
• demolish
• desolate
• devastate
• do in
• extinguish
• nuke
• pull down
• pulverize
• raze
• rub out
• ruin
• shatter
• smash
• tear down
• total
• vaporize
• waste
• wrack
• wreck

Examples of destroy in a Sentence

Eventually our problems with money destroyed our marriage.

All the files were deliberately destroyed.

The disease destroys the body's ability to fight off illness.

The bomb blast destroyed the village.

The dog had to be destroyed since its owner could not prevent it from attacking people.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some of those fires destroyed entire transfer stations, trucks, landfills and other facilities and caused millions of dollars in damages, according to the report. —Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024

The ensemble film, whose cast includes Henry Cavill, chronicles a covert World War II mission manned by a band of renegades who are tasked with destroying Nazi U-boats (it’s loosely based on real events). —Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Apr. 2024

Some tests can destroy important evidence on the item. —Christian Mysliwiec, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2024

One of the major points of debate was the decision to have Frank become a vampire and reveal himself to be the real antagonist of the movie, as Abigail and Joey join forces to destroy him. —Adam B. Vary, Variety, 20 Apr. 2024

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israeli forces destroyed a drone base in Iran in 2022 under his orders. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Apr. 2024

The first quake caused the ground floor of Renaissance to fail, making the building topple on its side and destroying many of its residents’ lives. —Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024

Just don't call it a deal:U.S.-Iran pact: Trump destroyed it. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024

Two couples have filed lawsuits against in vitro fertilization provider Ovation Fertility alleging its clinic destroyed their embryos when a lab employee wrongly used hydrogen peroxide instead of a sterile solution in an incubator. —Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French destroy-, destrui-, stem of destrure, from Vulgar Latin *destrugere, alteration of Latin destruere, from de- + struere to build — more at structure

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

destroy

verb

de·​stroy di-ˈstrȯi 

1

: to put an end to : do away with : ruin

2

: kill entry 1 sense 1, slaughter