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

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 But by the early 1990s, industrial bottom trawlers had decimated cod stocks, and in 1992, the Canadian government instituted a moratorium on cod fishing, devastating the industry and ending a long-standing way of life. Gina Decaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026 But this season, his production has completely fallen off — partially due to his own demise, partially because the lineup in front of him has been decimated by injuries. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2026 The missile infrastructure that backed it has been decimated. Andrew Ghalili, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026 Hezbollah was decimated and soon compelled to sign a cease-fire agreement on Israel’s terms. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for decimated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimated
Verb
  • Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Athens then destroyed Melos and launched the Sicily Expedition with overwhelming force and no coherent theory of governance for what came next.
    Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Why the mistake should have ruined your day, Miss Manners cannot guess.
    Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The strip mall was cleared of commercial tenants and demolished in September 2021, leaving many in the surrounding neighborhood wondering when real estate development would fill in the empty land.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
  • The Power House in Zion has already been demolished.
    Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The world has just lost an enormous beam of light, and we are devastated.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Tens of thousands of giant sequoia seedlings and saplings are sprouting in a Sierra Nevada grove devastated by the 2021 KNP Complex fire.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Residents helped to clear away rubble caused by the blast, which appeared to hit an apartment block, as vehicles sat covered in dust with their windows shattered and rubble strewn across the road.
    NBC News, NBC news, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Most impressively, the program shattered traditional timelines by delivering a flight-ready system in just eight months.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Texas State infielder Aiyana Coleman wrecked ULM's shot at a Sun Belt regular-season title in 2025, recording two back-breaking home runs in the final series of the year.
    Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Kim Gartner, whose nephew's property was wrecked in storms overnight in Kankakee, described softball-sized hail that shattered car windows.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • That consensus has since been smashed.
    Ariel David, Baltimore Sun, 16 Mar. 2026
  • With one out and one, Australia’s Rixon Wingrove smashed a line drive to right-center field.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decimated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimated. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on decimated

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster