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
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Recent Examples of decimating
Israel, meanwhile, has emerged from the war in a much stronger security position after decimating Hamas in Gaza, slamming Hezbollah in Lebanon, and hammering Iran's nuclear facilities.
—
Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
Through single-cell RNA sequencing, the team indeed saw that glioblastoma upended the skull bone marrow's environment – filling it with pro-inflammatory neutrophils while decimating cancer-fighting antibody-producing B cells.
—New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
His latest film, Ocean with David Attenborough, was released in May 2025 just before the United Nations Ocean Conference, showcasing the wonder of underwater habitats while exposing how destructive fishing practices are decimating marine life.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Apart from decimating hundreds of species, the construction of an airport, a power plant, a ship repair yard, and a township will also cut off the tiny Shompen tribe from much of their habitat.
—M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
That has monumentally changed college sports, of course, funneling schools into the Big Ten and SEC while decimating conferences like our old Pac-12 – but not the appeal of Pac-12 After Dark.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025
There, he was briefed on the massive wildfires that are decimating the northwest region of the country.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Environmental groups, others long oppose SpaceX rocket launches That aggressive approach, though, has rankled environmentalists and others who have criticized SpaceX's operations for potentially decimating regional ecosystems.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Combating bird flu Stories about bird flu decimating poultry farms and causing jumps in egg prices have been all across the news in recent months.
—Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
Through single-cell RNA sequencing, the team indeed saw that glioblastoma upended the skull bone marrow's environment – filling it with pro-inflammatory neutrophils while decimating cancer-fighting antibody-producing B cells.
—New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
His latest film, Ocean with David Attenborough, was released in May 2025 just before the United Nations Ocean Conference, showcasing the wonder of underwater habitats while exposing how destructive fishing practices are decimating marine life.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Apart from decimating hundreds of species, the construction of an airport, a power plant, a ship repair yard, and a township will also cut off the tiny Shompen tribe from much of their habitat.
—M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
That has monumentally changed college sports, of course, funneling schools into the Big Ten and SEC while decimating conferences like our old Pac-12 – but not the appeal of Pac-12 After Dark.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025
There, he was briefed on the massive wildfires that are decimating the northwest region of the country.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Environmental groups, others long oppose SpaceX rocket launches That aggressive approach, though, has rankled environmentalists and others who have criticized SpaceX's operations for potentially decimating regional ecosystems.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Combating bird flu Stories about bird flu decimating poultry farms and causing jumps in egg prices have been all across the news in recent months.
—Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimating
Verb
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And candidates who stoked fear in voters — with the threat of towering multi-family complexes destroying their communities or costly local infrastructure projects driving up taxes — lost by clear margins.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Derek Lopez, 27, was fired from his role at the university after he was caught on camera destroying a Turning Point display.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Chiefs have seen some of league’s premier running backs — such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — and have met each challenge, preventing those elite players from ruining the defensive game plan.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
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Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The military showed us a map of Hamas tunnel routes Israeli forces are still discovering and demolishing in the area.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
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Most recently, crews began demolishing the East Wing of the White House.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When a world-shattering event turns most of the global population into a friendly hive mind, Carol sets out to protect her individuality.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
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But this average-looking citizen could become almost anything, throwing himself into roles with shattering power.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Last year’s devastating drought in the Amazon Basin was made 30 times more likely by climate change, according to a report from World Weather Attribution, a network of scientists that analyze extreme weather events.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Earlier this year, California’s devastating Eaton Fire destroyed much of Altadena, a diverse, creative community just north of Pasadena.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After those rules are broken, the gremlin spawns more of its kind and end up wrecking havoc on Billy’s hometown during Christmas.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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Storm preparations Cuba has been struck almost yearly by a major hurricane in recent years, sometimes twice, wrecking the country’s already decrepit infrastructure, damaging crops and destroying thousands of homes in precarious condition.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Within a few years of leaving Texas, Rauschenberg had upended everything the place had meant to him, smashing through the parochialism of small-town Southern life, where necks were broken in Jesus’ name, and families indentured or murdered.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
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The role would typically involve smashing a bottle of champagne against the bow before sending the vessel out on its maiden voyage.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decimating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimating. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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