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 Business Insider In Phoenix, the country’s call-center capital, AI is decimating working-class careers. Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 1 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 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 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 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimating
Verb
  • Strikes and artillery fire were reported across Nabatieh district, destroying homes and residential buildings, according to NNA.
    Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
  • One video shows a surface to air missile hitting a drone but not destroying it; the drone crashes to the ground and explodes.
    David Hambling, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • The Cowboys are like most NFL teams that roll out a synthetic surface that has a grass feel, and is vastly superior to the old knee-ruining ways of AstroTurf.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026
  • The Dodgers are ruining baseball!
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • Indeed, many media observers—inside and outside the network—have gone so far as to suggest that demolishing the status quo seems to be central to Weiss’s mandate.
    Claire Zillman, Fortune, 12 June 2026
  • In February 2024, police gave him and his wife minutes to pack before demolishing their home.
    Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The brand was already the most searched name on Ulta’s site before the line expanded to the retailer’s 1,500-plus doors in February, shattering sales records and becoming the chain’s largest brand launch ever.
    Danielle Directo-Meston, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2026
  • Ratings from the opening match went through the roof, shattering records.
    Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Loss of this support, which is said to cover 25% of the center’s operating costs, would have been devastating both financially and reputationally.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2026
  • These giant invasive snakes are devastating the Everglades ecosystem by eating through the native food web without any natural predators to keep them in check.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • What is in tandem here is the exuberantly generative possibility of life itself (SCOBY, water) alongside the very synthetic polymers that are literally wrecking life on an individual and systemic level.
    Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
  • Belt-Stubblefield did not stop and ended up wrecking his car.
    Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • The tension in these tracks are the binding agent for Jane’s fan base — the music is full of contradictions and incompatibilities smashing together that just feel like being young right now.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • Last week, a group of people swarmed Noureddine Bitat's taxi, stomping on it and smashing its windshield.
    Kelsie Hoffman, CBS News, 18 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Decimating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimating. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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