Synonyms of decimation

decimation

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• destruction
• devastation
• extinction
• havoc
• loss
• demolition
• extermination
• annihilation
• obliteration
• ruination
• wastage
• ruin
• demolishment
• wreckage
• desolation
• collapse
• disintegration
• depredation
• slaughter
• mincemeat
• massacre
• breakup
• dissolution
• execution
• despoliation
• killing
• assassination
• despoilment
• eradication
• effacement
• dismantlement

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• construction
• building
• raising
• erection
• saving
• salvation
• rescue
• protection
• preservation
• conservation
• salvage
• restoration
• reconstruction
• reclamation
• renovation
• remodeling
• re-creation
• refurbishment
• regeneracy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of decimation

Following Jaws' success, Benchley expressed regret over the story's impact on the public's fear of sharks and the decimation of shark populations, committing himself to shark conservation and education efforts. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026

The liberal wing of the court sees the decision as a decimation of the Voting Rights Act. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026

The third generation of Garrods experienced the decimation of the fruit orchard business and, seeking another stable form of income, began boarding horses in 1962. — Laura Ness, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026

Clairvoyance came during an early-March decimation of the Nuggets. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026

Upon learning that dogs were allowed to roam on the lawn, the reason for its decimation became clear, since this grass, although touted for its shade and drought tolerance, is highly sensitive to dog urine and dog digging. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026

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

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