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
After all, now that the Iranian regime's military leadership has been decimated and its regional position profoundly eroded, courtesy of Israel, Tehran is far less useful as a strategic partner.
—
Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
Flash floods roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday, decimating landscape near the river and leaving more than 80 dead and dozens unaccounted for.
—Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025
That’s the case of some Hawaiian palms sent to San Diego because they are being decimated in the wild by an invasive bug.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
That’s due in large part to the uninhabited status of the island, strict conservation protections and the absence of invasive species like rats or cats that have decimated bird populations on other islands.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
Flash floods roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday, decimating landscape near the river and leaving more than 80 dead and dozens unaccounted for.
—Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025
That’s the case of some Hawaiian palms sent to San Diego because they are being decimated in the wild by an invasive bug.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
That’s due in large part to the uninhabited status of the island, strict conservation protections and the absence of invasive species like rats or cats that have decimated bird populations on other islands.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimate
Verb
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In return, he was allowed to effectively destroy a nature site of great conservation value.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
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The historic Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim was destroyed by a wildfire.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Today, disaster seekers pack tours through New Orleans neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina two decades ago, and visitors continue to flock to Galveston to see the legacy of a hurricane that killed thousands more than a century earlier.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers
July 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 July 2025
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Not only has its air defense infrastructure suffered badly in the confrontations with Israel, but its regional proxies and allies – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria – have either been devastated by Israel or collapsed altogether.—
Linggong Kong,
The Conversation,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Some adults agreed, but others made comments about me ruining the mood.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
20 July 2025
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Nothing ruins the vibe of a beautiful backyard faster than dull, discolored patio furniture that’s more of an eyesore than an inviting lounge spot.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 July 2025
Verb
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The kids division, ages 5 to 11, was tasked with demolishing a singular slice, or one-fourth, of an entire pie.—
Olivia Cyrus
July 23,
Sacbee.com,
24 July 2025
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That includes plans to demolish the building this summer.—
Tom Daykin,
jsonline.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Kurt's key takeaways The Elmo hack shattered more than just a cheerful digital persona.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 July 2025
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There are no signs of violence, no visible trauma—only the disquieting certainty that something has shattered inside her.—
Time,
Time,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Prelim info is stolen Camaro wrecked into a small bus pulling a trailer.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 July 2025
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The immigration storm is an effective diversion from how Trump’s policies are wrecking the government, jeopardizing the economy and forfeiting America’s respect in the world.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Abraham Toro led off the fifth with a single against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson, Anthony drew a walk and Alex Bregman smashed a three-run homer to put the Red Sox ahead 3-2.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
29 July 2025
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What no one knew at the time was the right engine of the plane had smashed into the elevator shaft, crashing down and severing cables on its way.—
Susan Young,
People.com,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimate. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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