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
In Bulgaria, authorities found and destroyed a Russian Gerbera-2 drone, which was not carrying explosives, in the waters of the country’s northern Black Sea coast, the Defense Ministry said Friday. — Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026 He was born in 1941 in the village of al-Birwa, which was destroyed by Israeli forces in 1948. — Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026 Significant elements of Iran’s air defense and radar network, ballistic missile and drone production, and storage and launch sites have also been destroyed. — Javed Ali, The Conversation, 6 Nov. 2026 The front of the building was heavily charred, with much of its exterior destroyed. — ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026 In 2011, researchers confirmed that part of the entrance, destroyed in 1957, had survived, leading to the inclusion of the site in a 2018 research project. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 5 Nov. 2026 But a freak accident with a forklift destroyed his feet, leading to nearly a decade of operations and physical therapy. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2026 Both the rocket and the camera were destroyed after crashing into the Earth at a speed of about 340 miles per hour. — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026 But those plans were put on hold after a New Glenn rocket exploded in May during routine ground tests and destroyed the company’s Florida launch site. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 23 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
  • His personal bodyguard dozed in the courtroom’s family and friends section as an assistant scrolled through her phone and his father demolished a Snickers.
    — Luke Jones, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Before it was demolished in the early 1800s, his crumbling mansion was said to be haunted by ghosts and strange occurrences.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Beyond the national political environment, the race has centered on issues including high prices and the cost of homeowners insurance, a particularly salient issue in a state with a history of being ravaged by hurricanes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Everything else was damp and ravaged by rain Sunday afternoon inside Raymond James Stadium, so there’s no reason to think these wouldn’t be, either.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Brendt Volarvich shot and killed Stevens in November 2005 after the officer pulled him over in rural Yolo County.
    — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In addition to those killed, Zelenskyy said 30 more people could still be buried in the rubble.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • The Audi driver ran off with his car’s license plates, leaving the wrecked luxury car behind.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Police and firefighters responding to the area discovered the wrecked vehicle along the hillside.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Bystander video showed a fiery crater gouged into Military Trail, a major highway, with the pavement buckled and shattered around the wreckage.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Still, the state has shattered early voting records with a more diverse electorate and stronger turnout in left-leaning jurisdictions.
    — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The elder Begay, speaking in Navajo, said she is emotionally devastated.
    — Adam Burke, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • By comparison, the prewar sanctions that devastated Iran’s economy, hobbled its military, and discouraged it from seeking nuclear weapons were a bargain.
    — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • The Russian missiles that hit overnight across the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, damaged homes and commercial properties, triggering new power and water outages, national and city authorities said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Russian attacks target Ukrainian infrastructure The Russian missiles that hit overnight across the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, damaged homes and commercial properties, triggering new power and water outages, national and city authorities said.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 9 Nov. 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