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 Pakistani Information Ministry rejected a claim by Afghanistan's Defense Ministry that Afghanistan had destroyed a Pakistani post near the southern Afghan border town of Spin Boldak, opposite the Pakistani city of Chaman. — Munir Ahmed, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026 Saudi Arabia said earlier this month that its air defenses destroyed a Houthi drone headed for the holy city of Mecca, a claim the group denied. — Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026 Co-created by Craig Mazin and the game’s Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us, based on the award-winning Naughty Dog video game, takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026 Nearly 33,000 people have been affected, and about 7,500 homes were damaged or destroyed. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 In that time, Gundlach Bundschu has survived a major pest outbreak, the San Francisco earthquake and fire, which destroyed one million gallons of wine and Prohibition. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 However, our neighborhood turned into the focus of news outlets, as nearly all of the houses situated on the ridge around 260 acres of grass and trees were destroyed, except for the six of us at the top. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026 Even as his cameras are repeatedly damaged or destroyed, Burnat refuses to stop documenting the resistance. — Drew Paul, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026 Mahasen Fakih had been displaced to the Chouf region and returned to Zawtar a few days ago, and returned to find her home destroyed. — Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 19 Sep. 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 site includes four buildings that will possibly be demolished, if the plan is approved by the city.
    — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
  • After more than 80 years, crews this week demolished a historic bridge that carried travelers across the Mississippi River between Missouri and downstate Illinois.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Davidson plays Vince, Hoult’s second in command and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan whose lungs have been ravaged by exposure to burn pits.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • This year's list of 25 sites includes the Caribbean, which was ravaged by back-to-back hurricanes this fall, and the village of Amatrice, Italy, reduced to its foundations following an earthquake in August 2016.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Kabul and the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said the strikes in Helmand and Kunar provinces had killed at least 10 civilians, most of them children.
    — MUNIR AHMED, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But is any of that enough when a Western Union telegram brings news of Aron’s death, killed in a battle in France?
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 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
  • When Lee is so clearly shattered, sitting at home in silence and in darkness?
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • This trust, known as the presumption of regularity, has been shattered, and a growing number of judges have expressed frustration and alarm.
    — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Palestinian farmer Saad Nemer of Fasayil said the water being cut off has devastated his fields, adding that his family has documents that prove ownership of the land.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Much of the worry from locals came from hurricanes in past years that devastated cities along the Pacific coast.
    — MEGAN JANETSKY, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The drones set off fires and damaged buildings in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine overnight, authorities said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Finally, don’t use disinfecting wipes on raw wood or furniture with an uneven or damaged finish.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster