1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
3
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
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Recent Examples of destroy
Flooding destroyed backup generators and severed the reactors from the cooling systems, causing core meltdowns in three of the plant’s six units.
—
Yusuke Maekawa, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
More major energy infrastructure was threatened over the weekend, with Saudi Arabia intercepting and destroying drones heading to the 1-million barrel a day Shaybah oil field.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
Within days, the sea had destroyed the site.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
One home was destroyed when a fire broke out and threatened a Hollywood Hills neighborhood early Saturday, according to Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Yusuke Maekawa, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
More major energy infrastructure was threatened over the weekend, with Saudi Arabia intercepting and destroying drones heading to the 1-million barrel a day Shaybah oil field.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
Within days, the sea had destroyed the site.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
One home was destroyed when a fire broke out and threatened a Hollywood Hills neighborhood early Saturday, according to Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
Verb
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People suffer and the country becomes ruined.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Anti-Chafe Stick With sweaty bodies and lots of walking often comes chafing, something that can ruin a day in a theme park faster than a thunderstorm.—
Terri Peters,
Parents,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Workers are repairing damage from the Dragon Bravo Fire, a wildfire that ravaged the North Rim in summer 2025.—
Outside,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
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In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the sports world, the F1 team hit a financial breaking point.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2026
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The long-simmering rivalry between Sunni and Shiite Muslims erupted into a civil war that killed tens of thousands of civilians.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With the new bridge’s opening, the old iron bridge was demolished.—
IndyStar,
IndyStar,
6 Mar. 2026
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In December 2025, the old Harbormaster building was demolished, and utility and electrical work began, according to the project website.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tens of thousands of giant sequoia seedlings and saplings are sprouting in a Sierra Nevada grove devastated by the 2021 KNP Complex fire.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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The youngest in a family of famous actors, Carradine had been devastated by the death in 2009 of his half-brother David Carradine in a Bangkok hotel room and never quite recovered, the actor admitted over the years.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The farewell ceremony for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been postponed, Iran’s state media is reporting.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
4 Mar. 2026
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One person was killed and two more wounded in a shooting down the block from the grand opening of a restaurant tied to slain Southern California rapper Nipsey Hussle.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The storms shattered windows, tore off roofs and smashed vehicles in Kankakee.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
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Within 10 minutes, her windows shattered, the front door blew open and drywall started falling on top of her.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kim Gartner, whose nephew's property was wrecked in storms overnight in Kankakee, described softball-sized hail that shattered car windows.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
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That last 100 meters is the part that will wreck you.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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