decimating

present participle of decimate
as in destroying
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 decimating Isn’t this boycott and those fears decimating Israeli cinema? Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 June 2026 The Mets lost Ronny Mauricio to a fractured thumb in Anaheim, decimating the once-robust infield depth. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026 No doubt the best-case scenario here is that the Samsung workers win…and get the right to continue manufacturing the mechanisms needed to fuel the large language models that are decimating jobs worldwide. Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026 Among those objectives are preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and decimating the country’s naval capabilities. Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026 Business Insider In Phoenix, the country’s call-center capital, AI is decimating working-class careers. Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 1 June 2026 Other aims the administration has stated include destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, decimating its navy and stopping its support for regional militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 May 2026 One of the more important revelations from Netanyahu’s press conference was about how the joint strikes with the United States, known as Operation Epic Fury, have been extremely effective at decimating Iran’s weapons. Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026 In the early 2000s, fishermen from other parts of Indonesia and Southeast Asia used explosives and large nets, damaging corals, decimating shark populations and forcing local residents who relied on fishing to travel as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) offshore for a catch. ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimating
Verb
  • Or tech companies forcing regular people to foot the electricity bills for their environment-destroying data centers!
    Rebekah Taussig, Time, 7 July 2026
  • Many older interceptor missiles use blast-fragmentation warheads, detonating near the incoming missile and destroying it with high-speed metal fragments.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • But the neighboring 171-feet Shelborne By Proper hotel says the new tower will cast a shadow over its pool, ruining the experience for guests at the luxury hotel.
    Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026
  • Water had seeped in everywhere on that floor, ruining the carpet, as well as other items.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • Djokovic put in a masterful performance against a player who had gone in as many people’s favorite after demolishing the champion of two years earlier, Andy Murray, in the semifinals.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • The redevelopment plan involves demolishing a section of the existing shopping center to accommodate a new 47,000-square-foot Publix grocery store.
    Catherine Muccigrosso July 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • SoCal’s housing market growth SpaceX’s record-shattering IPO has unleashed a wave of high-end home shoppers poised to reshape Southern California’s already tight coastal housing markets.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • The co-writer thing was a total disaster, devastating on every level.
    Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • One week after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, relief efforts in South Florida continue at a steady pace.
    Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • The blaze remained confined to the wrecking yard property, despite briefly jumping a fence and igniting vegetation to the west.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
  • The good news is that dermatologists and makeup artists have figured out how to keep your SPF topped up without wrecking your foundation, blush or setting spray.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Djokovic became so frustrated that he was given a code violation warning for smashing a racket, before eventually hauling himself over the line.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan joined in the fun Friday, serving and smashing with a paddle in a San Jose Earthquakes jersey.
    Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 4 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Decimating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimating. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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