as in extermination
formal
a usually violent act in which something is damaged or destroyed or in which a person or animal is killed
The town had somehow escaped the depredations of enemy soldiers.
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Recent Examples of depredation
Federal wildlife agents confirmed the two depredation events, which took place Friday and Saturday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
—
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite years of sitting on the sidelines, the United States has an opportunity to reassert itself in seeking to end the depredations of the junta and advance the cause of democracy in Myanmar.
—Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025
Four people were arrested, and three were charged felony offenses of assaulting a federal officer, while the fourth was charged with misdemeanor offense of depredation of government property, according to a Department of Justice press release.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025
Much of Russian research never fully recovered from the depredations of the Stalin era.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The pack consists of up to 15 wolves of various ages roaming federal public land near an active cattle grazing allotment, where many of the depredation incidents took place, according the memo.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 24 Aug. 2025
From July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, Idaho Wildlife Services investigated 99 wolf depredations.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Researchers say more study is needed to pinpoint the causes of angler-shark encounters and whether depredation is actually increasing or simply being reported more often, including through social media.
—Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite years of sitting on the sidelines, the United States has an opportunity to reassert itself in seeking to end the depredations of the junta and advance the cause of democracy in Myanmar.
—Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025
Four people were arrested, and three were charged felony offenses of assaulting a federal officer, while the fourth was charged with misdemeanor offense of depredation of government property, according to a Department of Justice press release.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025
Much of Russian research never fully recovered from the depredations of the Stalin era.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The pack consists of up to 15 wolves of various ages roaming federal public land near an active cattle grazing allotment, where many of the depredation incidents took place, according the memo.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 24 Aug. 2025
From July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, Idaho Wildlife Services investigated 99 wolf depredations.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Researchers say more study is needed to pinpoint the causes of angler-shark encounters and whether depredation is actually increasing or simply being reported more often, including through social media.
—Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depredation
Noun
-
In Danis Tanovic’s underseen drama, Farrell plays an Irish war photographer who gets separated from his best friend and colleague in Iraqi Kurdistan in the prelude to Saddam Hussein’s 1988 extermination campaign against the Kurds.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
-
In New Zealand, a nationwide extermination campaign is underway.—
NPR,
NPR,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Perhaps, curled inside the turbulent virginal atmosphere, Helm dreams of being a storm, has a prophetic vision of destruction, feels a natural calling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
What divides him from Burton is that Hopkins, by a miracle, summoned the clarity to renounce his own destruction.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Sam Altman, of OpenAI, has claimed that generative AI could bring about the end of human civilization, and that AI poses a risk of extinction on a par with nuclear warfare and global pandemics.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
And the global population of whales declined precipitously to the point of near extinction.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Hands-down one of the most disgusting movies ever made (a compliment), the film finds the indefatigable slasher, who was decapitated at the end of Terrifier 2, reattaching his head and commencing his ritual slaughters.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Here’s The Denver Post’s stock report from the slaughter.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After surviving the massacre and making a recovery that surprised even her doctors, Sophia returned home in time to celebrate her upcoming 13th birthday, a family spokesperson told CNN.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
During this second season, which ended up being the final one, a lot of people felt the massacre in Ghorman resonated with the real world, specifically Gaza.—
E. Alex Jung,
Vulture,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After constant requests during two years of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the Israeli military finally brings our correspondent into the territory to see the devastation in post-war northern Gaza firsthand.—
Greg Dixon,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
-
In 2005, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, park officials made the decision to close Six Flags New Orleans permanently.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Depredation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depredation. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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