as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the virtual decimation of the coastal town by the hurricane
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Recent Examples of decimation
Decades of foreign policy, and most recently, the decimation of foreign aid, has created conditions in which people across the Americas must migrate for survival.
—
Taylor Crumpton, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Dozens of publications have printed lengthy editorials on the eventuality of job decimation.
—Zack Kass, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
This was the weakest Australian side since Andrew Strauss led England to a famous 3-1 victory against them in 2010-11, and it was made worse by injury problems that led to the decimation of Australia’s first-choice bowling attack.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Opened in 1927 in response to the near-decimation of the koala population in Australia – the cuddly creatures were hunted for their pelts – Lone Pine is now home to about 100 koalas along with other native Australian fauna.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
Language purists like to remind anyone who will listen that decimation actually means the slaughter of one in ten people, and was the military punishment wielded by the Roman army against deserters and mutineers.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
No doubt the decimation of the terrorist group’s ranks by Israeli strikes concentrated minds among its leaders.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
And then 95% of prisoners and detainees are eventually released to the community, where the decimation of life skills caused by solitary confinement makes successful reintegration much less likely.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
The decimation of critical institutions, like the NIH [National Institutes of Health] and the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], will lead to the loss of innocent lives.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Sep. 2025
Taylor Crumpton, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Dozens of publications have printed lengthy editorials on the eventuality of job decimation.
—Zack Kass, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
This was the weakest Australian side since Andrew Strauss led England to a famous 3-1 victory against them in 2010-11, and it was made worse by injury problems that led to the decimation of Australia’s first-choice bowling attack.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Opened in 1927 in response to the near-decimation of the koala population in Australia – the cuddly creatures were hunted for their pelts – Lone Pine is now home to about 100 koalas along with other native Australian fauna.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
Language purists like to remind anyone who will listen that decimation actually means the slaughter of one in ten people, and was the military punishment wielded by the Roman army against deserters and mutineers.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
No doubt the decimation of the terrorist group’s ranks by Israeli strikes concentrated minds among its leaders.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
And then 95% of prisoners and detainees are eventually released to the community, where the decimation of life skills caused by solitary confinement makes successful reintegration much less likely.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
The decimation of critical institutions, like the NIH [National Institutes of Health] and the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], will lead to the loss of innocent lives.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimation
Noun
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He was initially charged in July 2025 and indicted by a grand jury on one count of malicious destruction of government property in August 2025.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The Michigan State Police says the suspect now faces 11 felony charges and eight misdemeanor charges that include check fraud and malicious destruction of property.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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It's all told from the vantage point of a woman trying to make sense of her life in the face of devastation, sometimes grasping for signs that only hindsight can uncover.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This has brought generational devastation.—
Stephen Swanson,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Another drought in 2007 reduced it again to about 750, putting the bird on the brink of extinction.—
Sofia Baltodano,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
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The company also typically partners with conservation groups hoping to protect specific species and with local and regional indigenous groups who would have interest and be impacted by de-extinction or the loss of a species.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ebba Andersson tumbled and snapped the ski binding in the second leg, giving Norway the advantage on a day where warm weather caused slushy corners that created havoc in the early stages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Three minutes of comedy chasing and evasive action ensued before play resumed, only for the four-legged fiend to return to wreak more havoc than the home attack had previously shown.—
Craig Chisnall,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Those market jitters saw over $1 trillion wiped from the market caps of big tech firms, though some stocks have since recovered some of their losses.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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That was Wembanyama, who had 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks in the World’s first loss and 19 points – including a pair of clutch 3-pointers – in its second.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The demolition of La Brea Bakery forced the closure of the temporary Earl of Sandwich restaurant that had taken over the location during construction of a new permanent Earl of Sandwich location on the west end of Downtown Disney.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
16 Feb. 2026
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The measures follow years of accusations by Palestinians that actions by settlers and the military — campaigns of violence, harassment and demolitions — have pushed them from their land.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decimation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimation. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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