as in destroys
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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Recent Examples of decimates
This move effectively decimates the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which has conducted federal funds to NPR and PBS for nearly 60 years.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimates
Verb
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These newly aware companies’ high-speed trading of financial projects destroys the Earth itself, forcing humans to flee to the margins of the solar system.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Most of the time, a person’s immune system identifies and destroys these cells.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Flow Space,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Americans are used to thinking about automation as something that devastates factory towns in the heartland.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
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The novel is about three teenagers experiencing the joy and angst of their senior year in a New York City high school as the AIDS crisis devastates their community.—
Abdi Nazemian,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Continue reading … HEAT HISTORY – Padres flamethrower shatters MLB record with jaw-dropping pitch in playoff battle.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Gunfire shatters windows at The Grand The fatal shooting in August was the latest incident amid ongoing crime problems there, the lawsuit says.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The whole image is a set of geometric elements receding precisely, which either or both ruins or/and enhances a little of the painting’s magic for me.—
Kate Colby
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
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At least four people were killed and eight wounded, and authorities were searching the building ruins for more victims.—
Isabella Volmert,
Twin Cities,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
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The trend isn’t one-sided either, as clips have surfaced of brides being the ones to start the frosting fight, like in this TikTok video where a bride smashes a piece of cake on her groom’s face.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Messy data wrecks forecasts, distorts reporting and wastes time.—
Thasha Batts,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decimates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimates. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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