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
The hurricane sent chairs flying and destroyed the restaurant’s canopy. — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026 And the recording that exposed their machinations ultimately destroyed the type of ethnic politicking that made the careers of too many self-serving power grabbers, including this quartet. — Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 Refineries in Russia have been destroyed or damaged by drone attacks. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 Deputies recently visited Kevin as well, bringing the teen new soccer gear after his cleats were destroyed in the lightning strike. — Luli Ortiz, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 That remained in business until 1964, when a tornado destroyed the building. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 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 Climate change was considered a factor in the December 2021 wildfire that destroyed Somauroo's home, after the county's suit was originally filed. — Lindsay Whitehurst, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026 Dowd Hall shows how the ASWPL destroyed the notion of white Southern chivalry, as the women flatly denied that lynchings were because of the rapes of white women. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroyed
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • The old airport must be demolished within 12 months under the development agreement with the City of Burbank.
    — Annita Katee, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Pulte’s application calls for the existing shopping center to be demolished, paving the way for construction of three six-story condominium buildings, two single-story commercial structures and a riverwalk.
    — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Bangkok Kunsthalle, in Chinatown, opened in 2024 in a former academic publishing house that was ravaged by a fire 25 years ago; the mazelike interior, some of it still charred, is a surprisingly compelling stage for art.
    — Tony Perrottet, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 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
Verb
  • One person was killed in a strike on Riyadh airport, a Saudia Airlines plane was reportedly in flames, and hundreds of flights have been canceled.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • That changes when Ma is killed rescuing children whom terrorists are forcing to become suicide bombers.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Police and firefighters responding to the area discovered the wrecked vehicle along the hillside.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Hundreds of clay jars known as amphorae were discovered inside the wrecked ship, alongside lead anchor stocks and other artifacts, police said.
    — Isabella Colletta, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The police tear gas grenade shattered the 14-year-old’s jaw and many of his teeth.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Natasha Gregson Wagner was just 11 years old when an ordinary childhood sleepover turned into a moment that shattered her world.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Healthcare workers who’d turned up for the event described patients choosing between affording medication or food, or how they themselves had been financially devastated by a medical crisis.
    — Kate Wells, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Ji-hye’s punishment Ji-hye is devastated at the arrest of her son, and furiously tries to confess to the crime herself.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • No deaths or missing persons had been reported, although authorities warned that the full extent of the destruction remained uncertain, particularly in communities cut off by damaged roads, collapsed bridges and landslides.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
  • More than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began, and little has been rebuilt as most residents remain displaced in tents, rubble or damaged buildings.
    — Joseph Krauss, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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