as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the army's attack decimated the enemy's defenses beyond repair
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decimate
The Mets lost Ronny Mauricio to a fractured thumb in Anaheim, decimating the once-robust infield depth.
—
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Iran's political and military leadership have been decimated by the war.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Iran has been, essentially, decimated.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
The bluegill population was decimated.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Iran's political and military leadership have been decimated by the war.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Iran has been, essentially, decimated.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
The bluegill population was decimated.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimate
Verb
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The disease — a fatal, genetic neurological disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells in the brain — did not just affect Spalding physically.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
24 May 2026
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Vucic, government officials and the pro-government media have branded critics as foreign agents who wish to destroy the country — rhetoric that has ramped up political polarization.—
Jovana Gec,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Verb
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The trouble was that the British economy was fragile—most mortgages in the UK at the time had variable rates, so raising interest rates would devastate British homeowners.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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Sarah Konwahahawi Herne was devastated.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Verb
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But at the same time, film has always been a labor of love, and cutting too many corners could ruin the art form entirely.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
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According to the researchers, even small variations can weaken the final structure or ruin an entire print.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
22 May 2026
Verb
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The Home Insurance Building was demolished in 1931 to make way for the 42-story Field Building, which became the city’s next largest office building.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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Indeed, back in the 1990s and 2000s, municipalities across the country were happily demolishing Brutalist eyesores made to house the poor.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Verb
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By early afternoon, however, the calm had been shattered by almost two dozen Israeli air strikes.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
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Her instinct has been shattered by her breakup.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Verb
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The line was a wrecking crew that also managed to outscore the opposition.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Bubba, by the way, was actually wrecked later in the race by John Hunter Nemechek.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Memories linger from past hurricanes with limbs puncturing roofs, car windows smashed and lives disrupted.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
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Garcia smashed a three-run homer to right in the sixth inning.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimate. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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