destroyed 1 of 2

past tense of destroy
1
as in demolished
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of they practically destroyed the safe in order to get at the money inside their poor scores on the final exam destroyed any chance they might have had to pass the course

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

destroyed

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of destroyed
Adjective
Oren Amir, founder of Go Home Builders in Los Angeles, said some of his rebuilding projects in Altadena, where residential areas were destroyed by January’s wildfires, have been delayed by conflicting guidance from the city on rooftop solar panel requirements. Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025 Shipments may not be delivered, or even destroyed, as shipping companies seek information required to adhere to new tariffs. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025 In April 1906, an earthquake struck San Francisco, sparking a series of fires that destroyed more than 500 blocks in the center of the city. Chantelle Lee, Time, 21 Oct. 2025 Among the items destroyed, according to Anaver, were a new washer and dryer, unopened mattresses, a new couch, a new freezer, his four wheeler and a snowmachine. Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 What Happens Next Thousands of homeowners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the January wildfires are still in the long process of recovering. Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 In the end, the explorers destroyed themselves and their ships and ruined the lives of so many indigenous people after setting up colonies in places like Tierra del Fuego. Charlie Markbreiter, Them., 21 Oct. 2025 Then known as the Cloyd Hotel, it was destroyed by a fire in 1924 and rebuilt in 1927. Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025 Civilian infrastructure—roads, sewage, electricity, and municipal services—has been destroyed. Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroyed
Verb
  • Back in January, Preston remembered filming My Best Friend’s Wedding — and how an iconic scene ruined crab and lobster for her.
    Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
  • All the beautiful lines have been ruined.
    Sean Evans, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Washington’s roster has been ravaged by injuries this season, essentially undoing many of Peters’ offseason moves.
    Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • That anxiety is born out of a history of Black communities being ravaged by law enforcement stops for minor infractions that escalate into much more.
    Curtis Bunn, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • There’s no due process here, either; the three triumvirs don’t get their hands dirty, their decisions can’t be appealed, and there’s no public process by which those to be killed will be identified before the decision is final.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Five people were killed and one was injured in five vehicle crashes on Arkansas roads from Saturday through Wednesday, according to preliminary police reports.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Gacy's house was demolished, and the property was razed in April 1979.
    Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The existing five buildings that would be demolished to clear the way for the project total 422,600 square feet.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Schools, hospitals, as well as water and electricity infrastructure have all been devastated during the two-year war from Israel’s extensive military campaign on the Gaza Strip, Amr said.
    Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Her tour of the affected states contrasted with the response taken by her predecessor and mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, when Hurricane Otis devastated Mexico’s Pacific Coast in 2023.
    Cristopher Rogel Blanquet, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Behind Sarnow and Common Council members, employees used equipment to lift a wrecked SUV with its left front side smashed in, a somber reminder of the devastation caused by reckless driving.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025
  • In Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis, hundreds of Palestinians attempted to return to their homes, only to find wrecked buildings, rubble and destruction upon the withdrawal of the Israeli troops.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Kathya still tears up talking about Katy’s ordeal, the slow road to recovery and how their lives were shattered that evening, a day that had begun with joy, a celebration with her best friends, many of whom grew up on the waterways in Coral Gables and Coconut Grove.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
  • When a prosperous farming family was murdered in their own home in cold blood for no reason at all by two young male ex-cons, the image of a neat, safe, mid-20th century rural American life was shattered.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Health problems caused by ozone may include coughing, difficulty breathing, and inflamed and damaged airways, according to the agency.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
  • In 2025, kids put their cards into clear resin or plastic containers to preserve and protect them from scratches or damaged corners.
    Mark Billingsley, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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