destroys

present tense third-person singular of destroy
1
as in demolishes
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

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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 destroys Liposuction surgically removes fat cells, while cryolipolysis freezes and destroys them. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2025 But the loving couple’s equilibrium hits a major bump when a freak coastal storm destroys Theo’s new building before its inauguration and viral videos compound his humiliation. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025 The belief is that pasteurization destroys some of the vitamins and minerals naturally found in milk. Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 25 Aug. 2025 Margaret, having married an older man expecting guidance, is instead forced to build her family’s future from the ground up, only to fight tooth and nail to preserve it after her husband nearly destroys them. Itzel Luna, Boston Herald, 22 Aug. 2025 Under this classification, KBI retains them until the business is completed and then destroys them. Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 9 Aug. 2025 Yet this approach regularly destroys companies. Tima Bansal, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 But when a fire destroys part of Al’s home and a hard drive goes missing, mistrust begins to breed between the two, drawing in Peck’s teenage daughter Sara and threatening to undo both their relationship and their role in a larger criminal enterprise. Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025 Development not only disturbs or destroys the soil, but wipes out habitat. Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroys
Verb
  • As extreme heat ravages New York City this summer, the lives of thousands detained on Rikers Island hang in the balance.
    Darren Mack, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The front row already included senior outside hitter Tenley Davis, a Loyola commit with a team-high 180 kills this season, and junior outside hitter Luca Bombacino, a Michigan commit with 170 kills.
    Dave Melton, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Novartis’s radioligand therapy targets mutations in tumors, delivering radiation only where it is needed, unlike ordinary radiotherapy which kills non-cancerous cells as well as cancerous ones.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Deadly flooding devastates South Asia Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the country’s north.
    Semafor Staff, semafor.com, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Illness devastates the novel’s humble, endearing protagonist, who bravely crosses class boundaries in her enthralling search for peace.
    Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • That means, the two are booked and busy serving gothic style slays all day — with one exception.
    Michelle Lee, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • That embryonic Xenomorph then shatters its container and leaps at Wendy, who pets it gently.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Trump's action shatters this precedent, inviting chaos.
    Dan Irvine, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Athens, Greece Athens glows beneath Mediterranean light, where marble ruins rise from its timeworn hillsides—from the world-famous Parthenon to the Temple of Hephaestus.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Egyptian officials shared one photo of the site, showing the mudbrick ruins of the settlement.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • At a single, two-minute dinner, Hermann Kafka smashes a cockroach while denigrating his son’s engagement to Felice Bauer before reiterating his distaste for Franz’s writing.
    Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Excitement around the closing stretch is spilling onto the charts in the United Kingdom, as a wave of Coldplay smashes return and rise this frame.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Saginaw’s surge overcomes Boswell The Pioneers of Boswell dominated play in the opening half, building a 21-0 lead that looked rock solid behind a persistent defense and an offense balanced with good running and passing.
    Pat Wheeler, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The technology overcomes the key trade-off between energy density and charging speed that limited previous lithium-metal battery designs.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Destroys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroys. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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