destroyed 1 of 2

destroyed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of destroy
1
as in demolished
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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 destroyed
Verb
Among them was Eilene Oken, 38, who walked through what used to be her neighbourhood, only to find her home completely destroyed. CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025 Just under two million Palestinians—virtually the entire population of Gaza—have been displaced since October 2023, many repeatedly, and Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90 percent of homes in the Strip. Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025 His was one of 55 houses that village mayor Ali Yassine says Israel destroyed after the ceasefire. Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025 According to Moore's office, reports indicate that between 50,000 and 100,000 Christians have been killed and more than 19,000 Christian churches have been attacked or destroyed since 2009. Mariam Khan, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025 Originally, the driver of the truck told officials that the monkeys were carrying various diseases, prompting most of them to be destroyed. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025 According to Reuters, Hurricane Melissa left nearly half a million Jamaicans without power and destroyed critical water systems and supply lines. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 3 Nov. 2025 Herodotus reasoned that had Helen in fact been within the walls of Troy instead of in Egypt, the Trojans would surely have surrendered her to the Greeks rather than allow their city to be destroyed. Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025 In the past few months alone, the United States has threatened neighbors across Latin America, carried out airstrikes on vessels in nearby international waters, bullied European leaders and abandoned NATO allies, and intentionally destroyed the aid programs that earned it goodwill in Africa. Time, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroyed
Verb
  • An old fur coat or feather stole could also be ruined.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Cash is king right now, Hsia said, and the AFJ is matching up to $1 million in donations that will go toward things such as new roofs for houses whose roofs were blown off and new furniture after many people's belongings were soaked through and ruined.
    Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Families in the region were already hurting before the shutdown due to the Dragon Bravo Fire that ravaged the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for nearly three months, Amos said.
    Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The San Francisco 49ers have been hanging tough despite being ravaged by the injury bug for the second year in a row.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Tens of thousands of people have been killed throughout the conflict.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The recent floods in central Vietnam killed at least 13 people, inundated over 116,000 houses and 5,000 hectares of crops, according to the government’s disaster agency, reported by Reuters.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Bonner's father worked at the Product Development Center — part of which Bonner demolished to make way for the new World Headquarters building.
    Jamie L. LaReau, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The ballroom project has stirred controversy, as the East Wing, home of the First Lady’s staff and long a grand entrance for White House events, was demolished to make room for the new ballroom.
    Kate Wolffe October 30, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Residents of Kingston, Jamaica, were already dealing with floodwaters on Friday, as concerns are growing that the impact could be the worst since Hurricane Gilbert devastated the island in 1988.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
  • This happened when Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina last year.
    Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Many of those games have been thrillers and even wrecked seasons.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Behind Sarnow and Common Council members, employees used equipment to lift a wrecked SUV with its left front side smashed in, a somber reminder of the devastation caused by reckless driving.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The strength to sit with what shattered before building what’s next.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Over the years, he's developed a reputation for flying vintage airplanes, even after suffering a near-death plane crash that left his right ankle and pelvis shattered and his back broken in March 2015.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The torrential rains and strong winds caused severe flooding that left several rural communities isolated and damaged buildings, roads, crops and infrastructure in poor areas that had already been hit by Hurricane Oscar last year.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Cuba, still enduring the storm’s heavy rains and winds, reported widespread flooding, damaged buildings, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced, as authorities warned that Melissa could worsen the island’s ongoing economic crisis.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on destroyed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!