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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroy
On Friday, Maryland resident and former Olympian David Hearn was arrested and charged with destroying government property.
—
Willem Marx, NPR, 21 June 2026
And, right now, it's destroyed.
—CBS News, 21 June 2026
Remove and destroy all infected plant material (including roots) and practice a three-year crop rotation to reduce disease incidence.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 June 2026
Every fuel truck destroyed, ammunition convoy disrupted or logistics hub struck forces Russian commanders to expend additional time, resources and manpower simply maintaining battlefield operations.
—Hunter Lacroix, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Willem Marx, NPR, 21 June 2026
And, right now, it's destroyed.
—CBS News, 21 June 2026
Remove and destroy all infected plant material (including roots) and practice a three-year crop rotation to reduce disease incidence.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 June 2026
Every fuel truck destroyed, ammunition convoy disrupted or logistics hub struck forces Russian commanders to expend additional time, resources and manpower simply maintaining battlefield operations.
—Hunter Lacroix, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
Verb
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The Spurs rose up and ruined that party, winning their only game of the series.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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Historically, barrels of Madeira spent months crossing tropical oceans aboard ships, and merchants realized that the heat actually improved the wine rather than ruining it.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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The post-apocalyptic horror film stars Will Smith as a virologist and the last living human in a New York ravaged by a plague that turns humans into vampiric mutants.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
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Fergie’s family, like so many at the time, were reeling from a hurricane that ravaged the island four weeks earlier on its way to slam into Galveston, Texas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Los Angeles police Friday released bodycam footage of an officer killing a woman’s pet dog in a case that has sparked outrage and questions.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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The Israeli strikes killed five people around the town of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, according to the official news agency NNA, and the army said a soldier was along the victims.—
Caitlin Danaher,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
Verb
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The existing residence was demolished, though plans to build a new house never moved forward.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
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The military has bulldozed or demolished wide swaths of the zone, and the area, where most of Gaza’s agricultural land lies, is inaccessible to Palestinians.—
Melanie Lidman,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
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At the same time, agriculture is one of the sectors most threatened by climate change, with rising temperatures set to devastate food crops around the world.—
Jasmin Sykes,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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Our entire family is devastated by this great loss.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Iran is preparing a July funeral for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.—
Munir Ahmed,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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Kim — who faces murder charges in a 2016 killing in San Jose and a 2018 slaying in Westminster — was flown into Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday, booked into the Anaheim city jail, turned over to the San Jose Police Department and then transported to Santa Clara County.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Kate Ziegler breaks swimming’s oldest world record, shattering the 1,500-meter freestyle mark by 9 1/2 seconds at the TYR Meet of Champions Mission Viejo.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
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When a shocking night shatters their fragile facade, both women are forced to confront the cost of control and decide what kind of future is worth fighting for.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Just across the Mississippi River in Avondale, Louisiana, a tornado wrecked four homes, Jefferson Parish spokeswoman Rachel Strassel said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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Jane Ragsdale’s best friend Christine Chenoweth, a pastoral counselor and former Presbyterian minister, says the South Fork of the Guadalupe is now lousy and wrecked and haunted.—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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