destroyed; destroying; destroys
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
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
Stephen W. Larose
: to cause ruin or destruction
It is proverbially easier to destroy than to construct …—T. S. Eliot
T. S. EliotExamples 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
The first move for a mistrial from Combs’ legal team occurred at the end of May, after prosecutors asked Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator Lance Jimenez if fingerprint evidence related to the bombing of Kid Cudi's car had been destroyed.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 8 June 2025
Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
The strike was also part of a broader pattern of attacks on healthcare facilities, which resulted in approximately 80% of the city’s healthcare facilities being critically damaged or destroyed.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Ukraine underscored the risk to advanced military powers on June 1 when its inexpensive drones damaged or destroyed strategic warplanes across Russia.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
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Toria Sheffield, People.com, 8 June 2025
Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
The strike was also part of a broader pattern of attacks on healthcare facilities, which resulted in approximately 80% of the city’s healthcare facilities being critically damaged or destroyed.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Ukraine underscored the risk to advanced military powers on June 1 when its inexpensive drones damaged or destroyed strategic warplanes across Russia.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destroy. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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