as in ruined
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ravaged
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
wildfires destroyed thousands of acres in forests across the state
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3
as in killed
to deprive of life
regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroyed
Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
The 24 staff members in Ruiz Verduzco’s office are tasked with assisting victims and their families, establishing programs in communities destroyed by violence and drumming up financial support.
—Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The wildfires burning tens of thousands of acres in the South have destroyed homes, prompted evacuations and closed major roads.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Israel said days before a ceasefire took effect on April 8 that its airstrikes had destroyed 70% of Iran's steel production capacity while also hitting petrochemical facilities and transport infrastructure.
—CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Settlements typically require plaintiffs to sign confidentiality agreements, and corporate documents obtained through discovery have to be returned to State Farm or destroyed.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
The original Buddhas’ hands were destroyed centuries ago in an earlier act of iconoclasm; Nguyen has created two monumental steel hands that float slightly away from the sandstone limbs, supported by tall rods.
—Benjamin Sutton, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
They were likely destroyed with easy-to-buy explosives.
—Thad Moore, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The son of a minor industrialist in Karachi, Naqvi studied at a British-style grammar school and then the London School of Economics, before working at Amex and Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm that would later be destroyed in the Enron scandal.
—Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
The assault killed at least seventeen people, including a twelve-year-old boy, wounded dozens, and destroyed buildings.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
The 24 staff members in Ruiz Verduzco’s office are tasked with assisting victims and their families, establishing programs in communities destroyed by violence and drumming up financial support.
—Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The wildfires burning tens of thousands of acres in the South have destroyed homes, prompted evacuations and closed major roads.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Israel said days before a ceasefire took effect on April 8 that its airstrikes had destroyed 70% of Iran's steel production capacity while also hitting petrochemical facilities and transport infrastructure.
—CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Settlements typically require plaintiffs to sign confidentiality agreements, and corporate documents obtained through discovery have to be returned to State Farm or destroyed.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
The original Buddhas’ hands were destroyed centuries ago in an earlier act of iconoclasm; Nguyen has created two monumental steel hands that float slightly away from the sandstone limbs, supported by tall rods.
—Benjamin Sutton, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
They were likely destroyed with easy-to-buy explosives.
—Thad Moore, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The son of a minor industrialist in Karachi, Naqvi studied at a British-style grammar school and then the London School of Economics, before working at Amex and Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm that would later be destroyed in the Enron scandal.
—Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroyed
Adjective
-
His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The facility was demolished in 1960 to make way for a city water plant extension.—
Jeff Kleinman,
Miami Herald,
9 May 2026
-
The house was set to be demolished after Sprague died, but instead it was purchased and partially restored by Roger and Mary Mildred DeWitt in the 1960s.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The majority of those moves in that 2020 season were necessitated by the team seeing nearly one-third of its roster ravaged and only having so many options to fill spots.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
-
The Mosquito Fire of 2022 had ravaged more than seventy-six thousand acres in Placer and El Dorado Counties.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Once troopers arrived, Williams raised the firearm and pointed it toward police before Blanchette shot and killed her, the report said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
Israeli attacks have killed nearly four hundred people since April 16th and Israel’s forces have continued to destroy villages and consolidate territorial gains in southern Lebanon.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The three adults on board — pilot Hernán Murcia, Indigenous leader Herman Mendoza Hernández and Magdalena — were found dead when Colombian soldiers located the wrecked plane two weeks after the crash.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
In recent days, refugees have begun returning to wrecked villages and towns.—
Hussein Ibish,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Upon arrival, police discovered Sheppard’s storm door shattered and the main door ajar.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
The same district whose tragedy nearly shattered a community, yet set in place the lives — good or bad, right or wrong — and legacies that followed.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Kim, 42, said she's devastated for her daughter and upset that her seizures were initially brushed off before the cardiac arrest occurred.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
-
The deadly fires that devastated homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena also laid waste to a lush canopy of leaves and pine needles that had cooled and shaded residents here for generations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rosenqvist tried to drive through the wreck, but his vehicle was too damaged.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
If the tire has a puncture or is too damaged to hold enough air to ride on, Gutierrez suggests learning how to use a patch kit to cover small holes or learn how to replace the tube.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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