decimated

Definition of decimatednext
past tense of decimate
as in destroyed
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of the army's attack decimated the enemy's defenses beyond repair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 decimated Will a YouTube viewer spend more than half an hour trying to figure out if Ukraine’s attacks on Russian data centers have decimated an army of propaganda bots? — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026 Since before the civil war, which decimated over 450 Maya villages, Indigenous communities have continuously struggled through structural poverty, colonial genocide, and high child mortality. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2026 Insiders cited broad industry-wide online traffic problems plaguing numerous online publishers, including Meta’s decision to deprioritize links to news articles and the rise of chatbots and AI summaries, which have decimated search traffic. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Oct. 2026 They were enraged at the way the current administration had decimated progressive policies toward children, women, people of color, gay people and transgender people. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 Toss in how Vikings tight end TJ Hockenson decimated the defense the week prior and some serious conversations need to be had. — Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has decimated the country’s heritage. — Chris Stokel-Walker, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 In the course of that quest, Native populations were decimated. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 Further, the native Taino population had been decimated, and an investigator reported how Columbus used torture and mutilation as punishments. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimated
Verb
  • Both the rocket and the camera were destroyed after crashing into the Earth at a speed of about 340 miles per hour.
    — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Cities outside Paris have been hit hard by the unrest, including Limoges where a fire nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Food waste ruined amid the blaze took more than two months to clean up as the operation missed several deadlines set by the city, leading to unbearable odors in the area and rodent infestations.
    — Austin Turner, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Others have used it to remove oily stains from their toddlers like crayon marks on carpet, and one reviewer says it’s saved many of their clothes from being ruined in a household with unavoidable messes from both kids and pets.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • A couple years later, on the verge of being demolished and replaced by several new McMansions, fund manager and seasonal Watch Hill resident Charles Royce stepped in to salvage its history.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Trump crammed the Oval Office with gold flourishes, demolished the East Wing to build a sprawling ballroom and converted the Rose Garden into a patio space reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Georgia voters shattered the state’s midterm record for in-person early voting Thursday, another sign of intense interest in an election that will set the battleground state’s political trajectory.
    — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • An Associated Press reporter in the southern city of Aden witnessed explosions that shattered windows at the airport building and nearby homes after Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree urged everyone at the airport to evacuate.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Some were devastated and expressed hope a new company could rescue the venture so life at sea can continue.
    — Sopheng Cheang, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • But Trump’s termination of electric-vehicle tax credits, for both consumers and manufacturers, has devastated the plant.
    — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The 21-year-old from Dallas, who soared to gold in the all-around on Friday after recovering from injuries that wrecked her Olympic hopes in 2021 and again in 2024, hardly looked tired in what has quickly become the meet of her life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Just as Bryan’s own ascent began, alcoholism almost wrecked his fellow Oklahoma heroes, Turnpike Troubadours.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But with a last throw of the dice, Tino Martinez smashed a two-run homer to level the contest, sending the game to extra innings and the World Series into its first November action.
    — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Shattered glass littered sidewalks after rioters smashed and looted thousands of shops, torched cars and buildings, and attacked police, who fired tear gas and water cannons.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Decimated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimated. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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