destroyed; destroying; destroys
1
: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of : damage beyond repair
destroyed the files
Their reputation was destroyed.
A disease that destroys the body's ability to fight off illness.
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
d
informal
: to defeat soundly
destroyed the other team 10-1
: 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 Harris fire burned for 16 days, destroying hundreds of homes and causing at least eight deaths, according to Cal Fire records.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
The Death Star, the very target of Rogue One’s rebel plot, has been destroyed; the Empire — namely Darth Vader and his malevolent master, the Emperor — is on the hunt for rebels.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
With one phone call, Liz sets in motion a chain of events that ripples, fractures, and nearly destroys not only their families but their entire friendship group.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 30 Nov. 2025
After the epistolary friendship ended, Cansever destroyed all of Siesbye’s letters.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
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Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
The Death Star, the very target of Rogue One’s rebel plot, has been destroyed; the Empire — namely Darth Vader and his malevolent master, the Emperor — is on the hunt for rebels.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
With one phone call, Liz sets in motion a chain of events that ripples, fractures, and nearly destroys not only their families but their entire friendship group.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 30 Nov. 2025
After the epistolary friendship ended, Cansever destroyed all of Siesbye’s letters.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 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 3 Dec. 2025.
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