destroyed 1 of 2

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

destroyed

2 of 2

adjective

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
Adjective
Though most of his property was destroyed in the fire, a carnival operator named Bunny Gibbons bought Gein's car and charged 25 cents for people to view it until authorities shut down the operation. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 The Gaza Strip itself has been nearly leveled, with the United Nations estimating 78% of structures having been damaged or destroyed, leaving a monumental task of rebuilding for whoever will govern the enclave next. Emily Feng, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025 Despite the near-total ruin, the occasional tent can still be spotted among the rubble, set up by people who had returned north during the last ceasefire to find their homes destroyed, satellite images viewed by ABC News show. Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025 The Aviation Safety Network, a website that tracks air accidents in the United States, said the crash happened during the takeoff phase, with the helicopter destroyed as a result. Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025 More recently, the Russian military has damaged or destroyed over 790 Ukrainian libraries. Ryan Byrnes, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025 More than 8,400 houses, some 240 bridges and almost 700 kilometers of roads have been battered or destroyed by the deluge, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 7 Oct. 2025 Two months after historic floods swept through the Milwaukee area, new data shows that nearly 2,200 homes throughout Milwaukee County sustained major damage or were destroyed. Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025 Police and army inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a shot down Russian drone in the village of Wyryki-Wola, eastern Poland, on September 10, 2025. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroyed
Verb
  • In a post on Reddit's Wedding Drama forum, the bride explained the stressful situation that nearly ruined her nuptials.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
  • After his umpteenth comeback, director Robert Altman almost immediately ruined his career again with this tepid, unwieldy multicharacter satire of the fashion world.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • On Wednesday, the Department of Justice announced the arrest of Jonathan Rinderknecht, who was federally charged for setting the blaze that eventually became the massive and deadly Palisades Fire, which ravaged coastal communities of Los Angeles County throughout the month of January.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
  • In places like Haiti, ravaged by gang violence, governance has almost all but collapsed.
    Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed with more than 169,000 also injured since the start of the Israel-Hamas War, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Nearly 1,200 people were killed, mostly Israeli civilians, including many attending a weekend music festival.
    Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Neighbors for a Better San Diego, a group that represents mostly single-family homeowners and opposes nearby higher-density development, criticized the report for not tracking how many homes get demolished to make way for new projects.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
  • It was finally demolished in 2008.
    Peter Carline, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But their cash supply eventually dried up and major investors lost interest in them — leading to a huge crash that devastated the whole market.
    Julie Coleman, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Israel then launched its war on the strip, which has been devastated by fierce bombardment and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground operations.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This summer, a Florida man stumbled on a wrecked vessel while fishing with his grandson – possibly a 19th-century ship designed to carry rum.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
  • And curiosity to see impact of no Tyreek Hill, out for year with wrecked knee just days after Panthers lost Barkov for season.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both teams boast impressive defenses, but the Bills are coming off an embarrassing loss to a divisional rival last week that shattered hopes of an undefeated season.
    Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The Trojans may have shattered that superstition, improving to 7-5 all-time against the blue-blood Wolverines.
    Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In 2025, kids put their cards into clear resin or plastic containers to preserve and protect them from scratches or damaged corners.
    Mark Billingsley, Sacbee.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The museum was heavily damaged following a bombing that occurred on May 14, 1943.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Destroyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroyed. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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