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
The firestorm ravaged Pacific Palisades and Altadena, killing 31, destroying more than 16,000 structures and contaminating others with toxins and heavy metals.
—
Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Special prosecutors indict Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han on charges of abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents and lying under oath.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Pest and wood-destroying insect evidence Missouri law restricts who can perform WDI inspections for real estate transactions to licensed and certified individuals.
—Allison Palmer
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in Phoenix, planetary defense officer Kelly Fast warned that thousands of near-Earth asteroids capable of destroying a city have yet to be detected — and humanity currently has limited protection against them.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
Helene made its way through Georgia as a Category 2 hurricane, damaging or destroying more than 12,200 power poles, 1,500 miles of utility lines and 5,000 transformers, the company said.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.
—Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
Officials recommend destroying the insects and their gray, waxy egg masses, which are typically laid from October through December.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Feb. 2026
But when the other side is destroying it, there are worse things to be than the alternative.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Special prosecutors indict Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han on charges of abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents and lying under oath.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Pest and wood-destroying insect evidence Missouri law restricts who can perform WDI inspections for real estate transactions to licensed and certified individuals.
—Allison Palmer
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in Phoenix, planetary defense officer Kelly Fast warned that thousands of near-Earth asteroids capable of destroying a city have yet to be detected — and humanity currently has limited protection against them.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
Helene made its way through Georgia as a Category 2 hurricane, damaging or destroying more than 12,200 power poles, 1,500 miles of utility lines and 5,000 transformers, the company said.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.
—Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
Officials recommend destroying the insects and their gray, waxy egg masses, which are typically laid from October through December.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Feb. 2026
But when the other side is destroying it, there are worse things to be than the alternative.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroying
Verb
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Doomscrolling was ruining my life.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Wednesday was a repeat, with flies and rodent poop ruining the callback inspection.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Because the nerves were already ravaging his poise.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
This is a chilling history of a problem still ravaging significant swaths of America — not to mention elsewhere in the world.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Also on Tuesday, Indivisible CT is conducting an anti-ICE rally on the state Capitol lawn, taking political aim at a federal agency that has fallen sharply out of public favor after killing two American citizens in Minnesota and roughing up scores of others.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
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The ex-husband of former First Lady Jill Biden, who has been accused of killing his wife late last year, pleaded not guilty in the case during a virtual court appearance on Tuesday.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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From tiny insects like flies and butterflies at the edge of the frame, to large mountains, clouds full of rain, even great wrecking machines — everything is animated with precision and beauty.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
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But the $1 million community project fund brought by Lee to the borough won't be used to hire contractors and their wrecking crews.—
Tory Wegerski,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bass, politically bruised over her handling of last year’s devastating Palisades fire, now faces an insurgent campaign from one of the City Council’s savviest players.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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The front lobby of Unicoi County Hospital was wrecked by devastating flooding during Hurricane Helene in 2024.—
Brett Kelman,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Robert Early Madden, 37, was found guilty by a San Diego Superior Court jury of first-degree murder and a special circumstance allegation of committing the killing during a robbery for the July 15, 2024, slaying of 38-year-old Senait Legesse.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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The series finds Ash Williams — of the original Evil Dead trilogy — living in a trailer park and working as a department store stocker, still haunted by his experiences slaying Deadites three decades earlier.—
Sammi Burke,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Converting Gary Works to an Electric Arc Furnace facility would mean shutting down the entire plant, demolishing it, and building new facilities.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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The plans accommodate through-running train capacity without demolishing the neighborhood south of Penn.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And, showcasing their awesome, frightening power, one avalanche derailed a train in Switzerland on Monday, injuring five on board, while another swept through a refuge on a French mountainside earlier this month, shattering windows and dumping snowdrifts inside the building’s kitchen.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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His head reportedly struck the tree, shattering his helmet.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroying. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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