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destroy

verb

di-ˈstrȯi How to pronounce destroy (audio)
Definition of destroynext
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

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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

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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

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 The fire left a significant burn scar across Palo Pinto County, including at Worth Ranch, an iconic scouting camp that was nearly destroyed. — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 With one aircraft destroyed in the Miami crash, Amazon is effectively taking seven aircraft out of its network while the suspension remains in place. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026 That is, they're probably designed to knock out key systems of adversary satellites rather than destroy the entire spacecraft (which would create a cloud of potentially troublesome debris). — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2026 One recent example is the ongoing construction for three schools destroyed or significantly damaged by the 2025 Palisades fire, using bond funds while also seeking insurance dollars and federal aid. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
  1. ruin
  2. ravage
  3. kill
  4. demolish
  5. devastate
  6. slay
  7. shatter
  8. wreck
Verb
  • To me, that would ruin all of the progress baseball has made over the last five years.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • My personal concern is especially based on the fact that their huge need for additional electricity generation could very well ruin our ability to reduce carbon emissions and avoid a climate crisis.
    — Martin Kushler, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • Mandel's futuristic story of a world ravaged by a lethal flu virus was already a bestseller and National Book Award finalist six years before the coronavirus pandemic gave it the unwanted status of prophecy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The fire that ravaged a beloved Grosse Pointe Woods country club was originally called in as a kitchen fire, officials say.
    — Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of ravage
Verb
  • Saudi officials said debris from a Houthi drone also killed one civilian and injured others.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • For the most part, garlic grows best if it’s planted about a week or two after the first killing frost in the fall, followed by exposure to several months of cool weather before the spring season starts.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of kill
Verb
  • In New York City, light-up drones recreated the outlines of the twin towers that used to be a fixture in the skyline before they were demolished in the attacks.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 11 Sep. 2026
  • One drone operator talks about going out for lunch or hanging out with their friends in Tel Aviv after demolishing people’s houses in Gaza from miles away.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • All those entities hoovered up the dollars PG&E had available to pay out victims of the Camp Fire, and other blazes including the deadly 2017 North Bay fires that devastated Santa Rosa and outlying communities.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • If passed, the measure would devastate school districts across the state by reducing services that students and families depend on.
    — Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • The deaths accounted for over 40% of the 156 women slain during that period.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • And yet, in the final battle against the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, the writers decided Arya Stark of all people would ultimately slay the Night King.
    — Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of slay
Verb
  • Last week a number of concerned mathematicians, many of them at the top of their subject, launched the Association for Human Mathematics (AHM)—an effort that was underway even before the earth-shattering Navier-Stokes news.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Maya’s fear of commitment mirrors the film’s fear of showing us anything truly ugly or grappling with the idea that our heroine is one of many, many people who lost someone during a society-shattering number of years.
    — Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of shatter
Verb
  • Here’s how the shift happened, what the ingredient actually does below the neck and how to fold it into a routine without wrecking your skin barrier.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Following instructions from the kidnappers (unbeknownst to his increasingly agitated comrades), Lee drives out to meet them for the exchange, only to wreck his car and become distracted saving a nearby woman, Hua (Moon Lee).
    — Jake Cole, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of wreck

Browse Nearby Words

de-stressing
destroy
destroyed
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Cite this Entry

“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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