1
as in to ruin
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
as in to ravage
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
wildfires destroyed thousands of acres in forests across the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to kill
to deprive of life
regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroy
Quantum physics says information cannot be destroyed, yet black hole evaporation seems to suggest otherwise.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
The homes of a third of the signers of the Declaration on Independence were destroyed by the British.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 9 May 2026
This agreement lays bare the administration’s plan to destroy East Potomac and build a professional-style course on its ruins.
—Matt Moret, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Rollins lined up Breakker and destroyed him with The Stomp, but Paul Heyman jumped up on the ring apron to prevent him from getting the pin.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
The homes of a third of the signers of the Declaration on Independence were destroyed by the British.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 9 May 2026
This agreement lays bare the administration’s plan to destroy East Potomac and build a professional-style course on its ruins.
—Matt Moret, New York Times, 9 May 2026
Rollins lined up Breakker and destroyed him with The Stomp, but Paul Heyman jumped up on the ring apron to prevent him from getting the pin.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
10 May 2026
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On Friday, a pitchers’ duel was ruined by a circus act of an inning, and the Cardinals beat the Padres 6-0.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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In Bird Box, mysterious entities that drive people who look at them completely insane ravage the planet, and the only way to survive is to not look at them.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
8 May 2026
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The majority of those moves in that 2020 season were necessitated by the team seeing nearly one-third of its roster ravaged and only having so many options to fill spots.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Verb
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One of the high-profile cases to emerge from last year’s immigration crackdown was the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas González, a father of two shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent during a traffic stop last September in Franklin Park.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
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The 2022 crash killed sheriff’s recruit Alejandro Martinez-Inzunza and seriously injured 10 others.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The house was set to be demolished after Sprague died, but instead it was purchased and partially restored by Roger and Mary Mildred DeWitt in the 1960s.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
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Many family members are opposed to demolishing and/or selling the property.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The deadly fires that devastated homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena also laid waste to a lush canopy of leaves and pine needles that had cooled and shaded residents here for generations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Such local weather events have devastated rural communities in recent years.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Verb
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It is thought that the Greek myth could be a retelling of an older Babylonian tale, in which the hero Gilgamesh slayed a colossal dog-headed, winged serpent known as a Mush-dragon.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 May 2026
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However, this is Mother’s Day weekend, so a golden opportunity to either rewatch Miranda Presley slay another day or finally get a chance to see it for the first time as a holiday outing.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Around the same time as the engagement photo shoots, the brides-to-be start mending their porcelain plates, which were ceremoniously shattered so the brides-to-be could mend them.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
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When her husband Karl finds her after years of searching, that hope is shattered, forcing her to return to Vienna – into a society that once sought to erase her.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Police found Berry’s vehicle, along with personal items inside, wrecked in the driveway – but Berry was not at the home, the warrant says.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
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The Bills will head into the season without a true, identifiable game-wrecking defensive player on the roster.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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