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

The warship, a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, is equipped with 96 launchers—32 forward and 64 aft—to accommodate various types of missiles. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025

The carrier is the flag ship of a strike group that includes several San Diego warships, including the destroyers USS Princeton and USS Sterett. —Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2025

Churchill received 50 outdated World War I destroyers, which, nonetheless, were invaluable for protecting the British Empire from German U-boats and keeping supply lines from America open. —Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

And in this timeline, she's considered humanity's destroyer, not its savior. —EW.com, 24 July 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