1
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the violent storm resulted in the destruction of their tree house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
alcohol will be her destruction if we don't intervene to help her
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 destruction
Far from creating some new inflection point, this war will wind down, leaving in its wake substantial destruction and the inevitable anticipation about when the next round will take place.
—
Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
The combination of an unknown population size and active habitat destruction puts Gastrotheca mittaliiti in a precarious position from the moment of its scientific debut.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026
These Chicago scientists and engineers played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, helping develop the atomic bombs that were used to bring about the unfathomable destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
—Daniel Holz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Large segments of the population, particularly those in the majority-Shiite south, will face disproportionate barriers to participation as displacement, insecurity and the destruction of infrastructure make voter registration, campaigning and access to polling stations significantly more difficult.
—Jasmin Lilian Diab, The Conversation, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
The combination of an unknown population size and active habitat destruction puts Gastrotheca mittaliiti in a precarious position from the moment of its scientific debut.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026
These Chicago scientists and engineers played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, helping develop the atomic bombs that were used to bring about the unfathomable destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
—Daniel Holz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Large segments of the population, particularly those in the majority-Shiite south, will face disproportionate barriers to participation as displacement, insecurity and the destruction of infrastructure make voter registration, campaigning and access to polling stations significantly more difficult.
—Jasmin Lilian Diab, The Conversation, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destruction
Noun
-
In the day since the fire, Shinneman said the H&R Block branch has already been shown a multitude of kindness from members of the community in the wake of the devastation.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The memoir has struck a chord with readers facing unexpected divorces or other marital devastation.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Unfortunately, this strength turned out to be part of its downfall as well.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Subaru enthusiasts may likely look past the vehicle’s main downfall, its subpar range and lack of refinement.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Aquarians are all about maintaining the good of the group, and rarely like to cause havoc.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Working low to high, causing havoc on the forecheck, getting pucks back.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The only thing that would satisfy the gremlin in me is the ruination of my freedom.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
-
On the left side of the stage, the ruination of the world around Tuesday and Weeks is symbolized by the show’s most astonishing physical feature: Shipley’s magnificent creation of glow-in-the-dark coral-like formations clinging to two other columns.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Smith said the beams weren’t in the original plan — until a demolition project offered something with history.—
David Caraccio
April 4,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Saved from demolition and ingenuously repurposed as a restaurant in 2020, the old rail ties used to make the bar, The Depot is now one of the places to be in a growing, bustling city of 25,000.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The abnormality has also been linked to deaths in the National Football League and in other sports such as hockey and soccer.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Nancy Metayer Bowen was a politically-ambitious trailblazer for a new generation of Haitian Americans in South Florida before her tragic death, which is being criminally investigated, was announced Wednesday.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
California lawmakers on Tuesday moved forward on a bill that could lead to the re-introduction of grizzly bears to the state, more than a century after the quarter-ton predators were hunted into local extinction.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Tony told us how large trawlers would go out farther into the water and catch more than locals did, gradually shrinking the cod population to near extinction.—
Akash Kapur,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The consistent odds-on favorite to win this season’s crown, the drag queen from Spokane, Washington, is still very clearly processing her startling elimination in the improv challenge that would prove her undoing.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
-
But his conclusion that the Nazis were no different from anyone else proves to be his undoing.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destruction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destruction. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
