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 Japanese battleship Musashi, one of the largest ever built, was destroyed.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Russian air defense systems destroyed one drone heading for Moscow, the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Sunday, according to Reuters.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
The natural environment Edmonds described was often destroyed or dramatically altered, and the canal’s expansion meant a particular loss to Indigenous communities like the Haudenosaunee.
—JSTOR Daily, 26 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors also alleged Friday that between December 2024 and September 2025, Blain destroyed or concealed city communications that were public records subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act.
—Susan Gill Vardon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Russian air defense systems destroyed one drone heading for Moscow, the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Sunday, according to Reuters.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
The natural environment Edmonds described was often destroyed or dramatically altered, and the canal’s expansion meant a particular loss to Indigenous communities like the Haudenosaunee.
—JSTOR Daily, 26 Oct. 2025
Prosecutors also alleged Friday that between December 2024 and September 2025, Blain destroyed or concealed city communications that were public records subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act.
—Susan Gill Vardon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share