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
Relevance
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
Starting in the 1980s, the drug epidemic that decimated so many American cities was treated as an issue of law enforcement rather than an issue of public health.
—
Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
The upper ranks of the dictatorial regime’s leadership have been decimated.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
Iran has been, essentially, decimated.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
The local fishery was decimated, Khiev says.
—Ryan Kellman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decimated
Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
The upper ranks of the dictatorial regime’s leadership have been decimated.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
Iran has been, essentially, decimated.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
The local fishery was decimated, Khiev says.
—Ryan Kellman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decimated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimated
Verb
-
First Baptist Dallas will break ground on its new sanctuary on Sunday, June 7, after a massive fire destroyed the church's 134-year-old sanctuary in the summer of 2024, the church announced on Sunday.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The diplomat also said that the IDF’s targeting of bridges along Lebanon’s Litani River has destroyed vital infrastructure connecting the south to the rest of the country.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The three runners whose chances of victory were ruined — Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat — are now invited to compete at the 2026 World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen in September.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2026
-
That passive-aggressive email ruined your mood, but the feedback about your project was pretty accurate.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Eid Barakat was forced to move from here when his house was demolished.—
Seth Doane,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The project, which was announced by the White House in July, became a highly controversial undertaking when the East Wing was suddenly demolished to accommodate the 90,000 square foot ballroom.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The mother of a 7-month-old girl killed by a stray bullet while sitting in her stroller in Brooklyn is devastated by Wednesday's horrific tragedy.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
On May 18, 1980, the north slope of Mount Saint Helens, a volcanic peak in the Cascades Range, was blasted away in an eruption that killed 57 people and devastated an area of approximately 200 square miles.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the events of late 1957 shattered that perception and focused the attention of American politicians and military officials more sharply on the final frontier.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2026
-
And not just broken, but shattered.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The vlogger Jordan Cheyenne, for one, wrecked her sharenting career by accidentally posting footage of herself coaching her son, who was distraught over the family’s sick puppy, to make a specific kind of sad face for YouTube.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Then, one day, a construction accident while at work wrecked his teeth again.—
Scott Pelley,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Queta smashed those lukewarm expectations, emerging as not just a viable starter, but a true difference-maker.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The two nights reportedly smashed venue records, grossing $33 million and placing him at the top of the list of potential global touring acts in the coming year.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decimated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimated. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
