1
as in ruining
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ravaging
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
wildfires destroyed thousands of acres in forests across the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in killing
to deprive of life
regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroying
And candidates who stoked fear in voters — with the threat of towering multi-family complexes destroying their communities or costly local infrastructure projects driving up taxes — lost by clear margins.
—
Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025
Derek Lopez, 27, was fired from his role at the university after he was caught on camera destroying a Turning Point display.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Here she is being woke in the name of destroying her enemies, most of whom the show has given us very little reason to root for.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
The Poseidon, first glimpsed on Russian state television a decade ago, was developed to travel very large distances and trigger a city-destroying tsunami.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
The plea agreement said Taylor admitted to intentionally destroying the property due to its religious significance.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025
Even Indiana, which won by 10 at Oregon and has been destroying almost every other team on its schedule, went down to the wire in a five-point win at Iowa.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
The fires claimed 102 lives, displaced over 13,000 others and burned more than 3,000 homes, destroying centuries of cultural history and devastating the economy of an entire region, with losses estimated at nearly $13 billion.
—Josh Green, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Typically, too much gallium makes the material unstable, destroying its crystal structure and preventing superconductivity.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025
Derek Lopez, 27, was fired from his role at the university after he was caught on camera destroying a Turning Point display.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Here she is being woke in the name of destroying her enemies, most of whom the show has given us very little reason to root for.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
The Poseidon, first glimpsed on Russian state television a decade ago, was developed to travel very large distances and trigger a city-destroying tsunami.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
The plea agreement said Taylor admitted to intentionally destroying the property due to its religious significance.
—Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025
Even Indiana, which won by 10 at Oregon and has been destroying almost every other team on its schedule, went down to the wire in a five-point win at Iowa.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
The fires claimed 102 lives, displaced over 13,000 others and burned more than 3,000 homes, destroying centuries of cultural history and devastating the economy of an entire region, with losses estimated at nearly $13 billion.
—Josh Green, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Typically, too much gallium makes the material unstable, destroying its crystal structure and preventing superconductivity.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroying
Verb
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The Chiefs have seen some of league’s premier running backs — such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — and have met each challenge, preventing those elite players from ruining the defensive game plan.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
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Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hurricane Melissa, currently ravaging the Caribbean, is a perfect example of why climate adaptation finance is so badly needed.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Sean Paul is doing his part to help minimize and repair the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which is currently ravaging his homeland of Jamaica.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gerard Damiano was a smart guy, a hairdresser from the Bronx who directed Deep Throat and the follow-up, Devil in Miss Jones, which were killing it at the box office, high up on Variety’s Top 50 list of the highestgrossing films.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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The storm was the deadliest typhoon to hit the country this year, killing at least 114 people, with many more reported missing — most in Cebu province, a tourist hotspot.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After those rules are broken, the gremlin spawns more of its kind and end up wrecking havoc on Billy’s hometown during Christmas.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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Storm preparations Cuba has been struck almost yearly by a major hurricane in recent years, sometimes twice, wrecking the country’s already decrepit infrastructure, damaging crops and destroying thousands of homes in precarious condition.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The fires claimed 102 lives, displaced over 13,000 others and burned more than 3,000 homes, destroying centuries of cultural history and devastating the economy of an entire region, with losses estimated at nearly $13 billion.—
Josh Green,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
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Pope Leo expressed his closeness to the victims of Hurricane Melissa, which struck Cuba this morning after devastating Jamaica.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Reeves is currently on Broadway with his Bill & Ted co-star Alex Winter, slaying in Waiting for Godot at the Hudson Theatre.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
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Unfortunately, the serial killer known as John Doe is ritualistically slaying victims by turning the seven deadly sins into symbolic, atrocious murders.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The military showed us a map of Hamas tunnel routes Israeli forces are still discovering and demolishing in the area.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
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Most recently, crews began demolishing the East Wing of the White House.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The user shared another clip in the thread that followed, showing the G1 breaking into a room like a burglar, shattering a glass door.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
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But to have somebody that's a main character like that actually get killed was something that was shattering to everybody.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destroying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroying. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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