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 crash sparked a fire that destroyed the aircraft, which was operating as a skydiving flight, according to the NTSB. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 16 June 2026 The fire burned more than 60 acres and destroyed several structures, including homes, according to CBS Los Angeles. Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026 This accident in late May destroyed the rocket and severely damaged the New Glenn booster’s only launch pad. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026 Someone rode a bike in a store on Winchester Boulevard, ran over a table and destroyed a cake worth about $40. Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 16 June 2026 Tornadoes downed power lines and destroyed houses. Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 16 June 2026 Gregg Allman, the legendary frontman of the Allman Brothers Band, fought a decades-long battle with personal demons that nearly destroyed him. Ashley Hume , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026 The video and the SCE data offer proof that the 100-year-old line, which hadn’t been used since the early 1970s, became re-electrified and sparked the fire that killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Altadena and surrounding areas, attorneys say. Tony Saavedra, Daily News, 10 June 2026 The Ukrainian air force said at least 146 Russian drones had been destroyed. ABC News, 9 June 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
  • Last week, an iconic cafe was demolished at the base of the structure, and on Sunday, some residents were wondering if excavation work three weeks ago may have contributed to the pier's collapse.
    John Ramos, CBS News, 15 June 2026
  • For her trouble, she was demolished in the general election by Jerry Brown, 54-41.
    Garry South, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Los Angeles – and particularly the community that surrounds Riviera, still in recovery mode from the devastating fires that ravaged Pacific Palisades in January, 2025 – also won, with this week-long reminder that this community is still awfully special, no matter what the haters say.
    Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
  • Since wildfires in 2007 ravaged large swaths of San Diego County, SDG&E has spent more than $6 billion of ratepayer dollars to reduce the risk of widespread fires.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Federal investigators have arrived at Butler Memorial Airport to begin examining the plane crash that killed 12 people Sunday morning.
    Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
  • Air Force officials did not immediately identify the eight people killed or explain why there were more people aboard than the bomber’s standard crew complement.
    Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Adjective
  • In other videos of the incident taken after the red car had apparently crashed into a street pole and a tree, two masked federal officers are seen standing near the wrecked vehicle as Chicago police officers put up red police tape around the scene.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
  • The driver got out of the wrecked vehicle and tried to run away but was arrested by an OHA officer, police said.
    Harry Harris, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • The family of a Vermont man in federal custody told k that immigration agents boxed him in his vehicle, shattered its window, and forced him out at gunpoint before allegedly running over his foot.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2025
  • After a lifetime spent reciting the eternal love story of the Taj Mahal, veteran tour guide Vishu Das says his faith is shattered.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, leaving more than 1300 people dead and becoming the most expensive hurricane in history with overall economic losses estimated at $125 billion.
    August 21, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
  • For the left, the answer to any problem is more government spending, but progressive policies have devastated minority and other economically disadvantaged groups for decades.
    Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Photos of the aftermath, shared by the ministry, showed burned and damaged cars, and firefighters working to put out a blaze inside a building.
    Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
  • The snake-like robots wrap around power lines and use onboard cameras and sensors to detect hazards such as damaged wires, worn components, and abnormal temperatures.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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