DESTROY Synonyms: 203 Similar and Opposite Words

destroy

verb

di-ˈstrȯi

Definition of destroy

as in to ruin

to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of they practically destroyed the safe in order to get at the money inside their poor scores on the final exam destroyed any chance they might have had to pass the course

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to ravage

to bring destruction to (something) through violent action wildfires destroyed thousands of acres in forests across the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to kill

to deprive of life regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse

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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 destroy Nearly a year later, the future of a Nederland shopping center destroyed by flames is finally starting to take shape. — Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 The city awoke two days later to find almost 18,000 buildings destroyed, much of the city leveled, 90,000 people homeless and 300-some people dead. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 But the segment of Angeles Crest Highway to reach the trailhead has been closed since last December when heavy rain destroyed several sections of the roadway. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 Seven locations were destroyed and 100 more shut down in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, but company executives saw business skyrocket at restaurants that reopened quickly. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for destroy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy

Verb

On Monday, workers hauled out a 200-pound piece of equipment that was ruined by the saltwater and sand carried in on the high tides.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
So our goal is to learn how to maximize AI budgets, not ration them and ruin productivity gains.

— Konstantin Klyagin, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

My dad believed this outpatient clinic — which cost nearly $10,000 a week — could save him from the Stage 4 lung cancer ravaging his body.

— Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
By then, fire had ravaged the community; the report suggests that incident commanders were unaware of the devastation.

— Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of ravage

Verb

And then the way the government dealt with them, which was to just demolish them, is also kind of prescient.

— Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attended the demolition and said Israeli authorities had demolished more than 10,000 structures built without permits over the past year and a half.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of demolish

Verb

Pi-o wins the competition, but is devastated at the disappearance of his friend.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
The goal, Ukrainian officials and military experts say, is to devastate Ukraine’s economy — and the country’s ability to sustain the war effort — while breaking the population’s will to fight by making everyday life increasingly difficult.

— Constant Méheut, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of devastate

Verb

And then the game starts, the nerves dissipate, and the opponent is methodically slayed.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
As global markets demanded higher performance thresholds, Gaydon answered with the ferocious Aston Martin DBX707, a high-velocity machine with premium luxury credentials plus supercar-slaying straight-line velocity.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of slay

Verb

Still, the channel has always proven to be resilient — a veritable phoenix that keeps rising stronger and ever more creative after world-shattering events such as 9/11, the SARS outbreak and the 2008 world financial crisis.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Downtown Los Angeles broke a daily heat record Monday with the mercury reaching 104 degrees, shattering the previous record of 101 set in 1954 and tied in 1971.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of shatter

Verb

If checking your score reliably wrecks your morning, the device isn’t working for you.

— J. David Creswell, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick crossed the line while wrecking after Larson hit the wall trying to chase down Briscoe on the final turn.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of wreck

Browse Nearby Words

de-stressing

destroy

destroyed

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“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of destroy

verb

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