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
Now, the decimation of the environment and indigenous people across the world, from the palm oil plantations of Indonesia to the cobalt mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has reached the shores of Great Nicobar.
—
M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 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
That purchase price represents a decimation of value for the retailer, which a decade ago had a market cap of more than $100 billion.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
But if the administration's decimation of the IG community continues, IGs will be diminished and lack credibility, and Americans will continue to lose confidence in our government.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
The indiscriminate decimation of most homes and hospitals in Gaza, with a majority of those killed being women and children, was not expected.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
The indiscriminate decimation of most homes and hospitals in Gaza, with a majority of those killed being women and children, was not expected.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 10 Aug. 2025
Pompeii’s decimation remains one of history’s most famous natural disasters.
—Andrew Paul Aug 7, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 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
That purchase price represents a decimation of value for the retailer, which a decade ago had a market cap of more than $100 billion.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
But if the administration's decimation of the IG community continues, IGs will be diminished and lack credibility, and Americans will continue to lose confidence in our government.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
The indiscriminate decimation of most homes and hospitals in Gaza, with a majority of those killed being women and children, was not expected.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
The indiscriminate decimation of most homes and hospitals in Gaza, with a majority of those killed being women and children, was not expected.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 10 Aug. 2025
Pompeii’s decimation remains one of history’s most famous natural disasters.
—Andrew Paul Aug 7, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimation
Noun
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Shackleton blamed the sinking of the Endurance on the destruction of its rudder; for more than a century, historians accepted this explanation.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
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They’re often greeted with the sight of their mischievous pup climbing onto furniture or causing destruction while unattended.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Murderers Bar shows us the sum of industrial achievement and the stakes of its devastation, human-made but altogether more than human.—
Anne Reeve,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
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The new season will not lack for Academy Award hopefuls – among them, All the Walls Came Down, Ondi Timoner’s documentary about the devastation of the Eaton Fire in the Altadena neighborhood of Los Angeles and efforts to rebuild.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That has left dozens of species on the verge of extinction.—
Eyder Peralta,
NPR,
28 Sep. 2025
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The Upper Cretaceous period, or late Cretaceous, represented the last true age of dinosaurs, stretching from about 100 million years ago to their extinction 66 million years ago.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Jilly will undoubtedly be best remembered for her chart-topping series The Rutshire Chronicles and its havoc-making and handsome show-jumping hero Rupert Campbell-Black.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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In total, Elanga provided five first-half crosses and, while only Gordon’s counted as ‘completed’, that does a disservice to the havoc the Sweden international caused.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Farley has managed to woo Wall Street more than his two most recent predecessors — both of whom departed the company after double-digit losses in Ford's stock price.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Following Indiana's loss to the Aces, Clark took to social media on X and shared a short and touching message to her teammates and to the Fever fan base.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The sign — fixed high on the outside wall of the black and red painted concrete block building — was to be removed before demolition and donated to the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/ Museum under the requirements of the demolition contract.—
Mary Spicuzza,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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In 1983, a report estimated that, since 1970, New York City had lost approximately three hundred and ten thousand apartments to abandonment or demolition—many were burned.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decimation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimation. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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