decimates

present tense third-person singular of decimate
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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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 decimates Maggie Greene was introduced in The Walking Dead season 2 as an open-hearted survivor who was just beginning to grapple with the barbaric nature of her new reality after the Wildfire virus decimates humanity. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimates
Verb
  • Jains typically do not eat root vegetables because harvesting them destroys the whole plant and harms life-forms around it.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Sep. 2026
  • How IonQ cracked error correction Since making measurements of a qubit destroys its quantum state, researchers can only gather information about their syndromes to know if the qubit has accumulated an error or not.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • An $8,000 Ryvid Anthem or a $10,000 Maeving RM1S will deliver broadly similar urban usability, while the $12,500 Zero FXE absolutely demolishes it on power-per-dollar.
    — Utkarsh Sood June 12, New Atlas, 12 June 2026
  • The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • As climate chaos causes oceans to swallow coastlands, and as surging water displaces and devastates communities, social survival will demand that people find ways to live and work with – and on – the water.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The urban planner and former professor also knows what happens next after a powerful earthquake devastates whole communities.
    — Luis Giraldo, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • When a severe heatwave shatters her family’s fragile routine and exposes her father’s dementia, Anna’s world is thrown into uncertainty.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • After the cannon booms shatters these boxes, the ensemble tumbles together in a finale worthy of Tchaikovsky.
    — Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • George Santos simply cannot get up After surprising the DS by passing the first task — falling out of a hovering helicopter backward — Santos ruins his big moment by struggling to swim to the dock and not being able to lift himself out of the water.
    — Sarah Hearon, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Nothing ruins an outfit faster than an ill-fitting bra, which is why this V-neck option caught our eye.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The bamboo smashes into bone and the scene in my mind bursts into a million white pieces.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The parents can be seen in the video rushing toward their children as the car smashes through the fence.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Decimates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimates. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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