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
After the match, Brock Lesnar Oba Femi destroyed Brock Lesnar in their first encounter, which made an already rising Oba Femi into an overnight sensation. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Weeks later in Georgia, the Highway 82 Fire destroyed more than 120 homes – the most lost to a single fire since state records began in the 1950s – while blazes across the Southeast pushed smoke into communities that rarely see it. Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026 Local authorities said homes had been destroyed, but a complete count was not immediately available. Thomas Adamson, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026 The Jonesboro store marks Best Buy's return to the town after a tornado destroyed its previous location. Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026 On the street outside, most homes have been destroyed or heavily damaged. Jane Arraf, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 Israel currently controls around 60% of Gaza, areas that have been mostly destroyed and depopulated. Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 In what appears to be the author’s indication of authenticity, two alleged details were mentioned — that Guthrie’s white smart watch had been left on the floor at the foot of her bed and that the backyard’s white floodlight was destroyed. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 Magnetic resonance imaging, meanwhile, found that the man’s rotator cuff—the group of muscles and tendons that holds the upper arm firmly in the socket—was also destroyed. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 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 iconic outdoor mall still has a few places open before it is demolished.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • Etna’s country prevails but is demolished in the process; its people and animals are left wrecked, hungry, and homeless.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • In Tenet, warriors from the future punish the present because their world is ravaged by climate change caused by us, their ancestors.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • Set against a backdrop of turbulent transition as the Middle Ages move into modernity, the film follows the three men on their long and arduous journey, across a Europe ravaged by wars and uprisings, to Versailles.
    Ed Meza, Variety, 28 July 2026
Verb
  • At age 12, Collinson ran his first mile for Running 4 Heroes, a nonprofit that honors, through one-mile runs, first responders and K9s injured or killed in the line of duty, while also providing support through fundraising and community initiatives.
    Elijah Megginson, AJC.com, 31 July 2026
  • Israel responded with an intense aerial and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip, where more than 73,000 people have been killed, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says.
    Emma Nicholson, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Adjective
  • Police and first responders were already on scene, cutting the roof off the wrecked car to rescue the individuals inside, who were put into ambulances.
    Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
  • The second flood has left behind more than wrecked homes, reopening trauma wounds for many survivors.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • If Infantino’s credibility is shattered and nothing is done to bring a proper change in priorities, then the governance of the sport is unlikely to recover.
    Simon Hughes, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The peaceful exile is shattered when Ravana’s sister, Surpanakha (played by Rakul Preet Singh), becomes infatuated with Rama, setting off a chain of events that leads to her humiliation.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • When hurricanes devastated the area in 1900 and 1915, the oyster industry remained strong.
    Gabi De la Rosa, Southern Living, 29 July 2026
  • Paul, as a father of six, was devastated to hear of their anguish.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
Adjective
  • Moscow can keep paying for the war by forcing businesses to absorb the cost of drone attacks rather than spending on better drone defenses or compensating damaged firms.
    Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026
  • Investigators found damaged trees along Rock Branch Road, before the tornado crossed Highway 212 and snapped or uprooted numerous trees along the southward slope of Shelton Laurel Creek and toward Cutshall Town Road.
    Joe Marusak July 31, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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