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
Will Trump adopt Putin-style tactics by destroying power plants or even desalination plants in what could amount to an attack on the beleaguered Iranian people themselves?
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
In the weeks since, fears of a long-term occupation of southern Lebanon have grown, with Israel moving to establish a buffer zone in the area, leveling homes and destroying bridges over the Litani River, which connects the south to the rest of Lebanon, while taking control of what crossings remain.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
Grassroots provincialism and downscaling may not be the only alternative to climate-destroying mobility.
—Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
The tornadoes ranged in intensity from EF-0 to EF-3, damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses, overturning vehicles and causing widespread power outages.
—Eric Henderson, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues to Egypt as punishment, destroying crops and livestock and afflicting the people, according to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 1 Apr. 2026
Trump spent much of his address — aired across broadcast and cable networks — pointing to the military success in destroying much of Iran’s missile capabilities, among other things.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
The Pentagon has generally lumped it into the first objective of destroying Iran’s missile capability.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
But there may be an answer, or at least a compromise that will satisfy those unhappy with the idea of destroying a usable building.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
In the weeks since, fears of a long-term occupation of southern Lebanon have grown, with Israel moving to establish a buffer zone in the area, leveling homes and destroying bridges over the Litani River, which connects the south to the rest of Lebanon, while taking control of what crossings remain.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
Grassroots provincialism and downscaling may not be the only alternative to climate-destroying mobility.
—Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
The tornadoes ranged in intensity from EF-0 to EF-3, damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses, overturning vehicles and causing widespread power outages.
—Eric Henderson, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues to Egypt as punishment, destroying crops and livestock and afflicting the people, according to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 1 Apr. 2026
Trump spent much of his address — aired across broadcast and cable networks — pointing to the military success in destroying much of Iran’s missile capabilities, among other things.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
The Pentagon has generally lumped it into the first objective of destroying Iran’s missile capability.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
But there may be an answer, or at least a compromise that will satisfy those unhappy with the idea of destroying a usable building.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroying
Verb
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Accused of ruining baseball with their big-spending ways the past two years, the noise has only gotten louder as a labor showdown looms.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
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To figure out its mechanism, Julius’s team had to somehow extract it from cells without ruining the very properties the researchers were trying to understand.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In this alternate past, a fatal blood virus, known informally as the Red Wind, has been ravaging the population for about a decade.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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Because the nerves were already ravaging his poise.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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An unknown assailant shoots up the Vances' house during a Shabbat meal, before killing himself with a cyanide cigarette.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The measure passed, 363–117, killing the death penalty in France.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But here’s the thing — ignoring your gutters is one of the fastest ways to turn a free weekend project into a budget-wrecking emergency repair.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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This might drive like a dirt race, giving Reddick, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell a chance to shine as their cars are on the verge of wrecking.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Our team found that a hospital cyberattack cut the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest without devastating brain damage by nearly 90% at nearby hospitals, not just the one that was attacked.—
Jeffrey Tully,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
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But the war now is devastating it.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Taylor, 35, has been slaying this award season, not only on the red carpet but also by earning an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in Paul Thomas Anderson's action dramedy.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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The 16-year-old son of slaying victim Yesenia Hall heard his mom’s screams from the bedroom of their third-floor apartment early Saturday.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Plans call for demolishing the three-story former office building on the site and constructing a single-story, 30-foot-tall building containing approximately 26,000 square feet of event space, according to information shared by the village.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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The city’s long-term plan calls for demolishing the existing facility and replacing it with a new permanent building.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Martha had a confidence-shattering experience with her previous boyfriend.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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Atlanta Police Department During the incident, a stray bullet struck an Atlanta Public Schools bus, shattering one of its windows.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroying. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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