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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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 These newly aware companies’ high-speed trading of financial projects destroys the Earth itself, forcing humans to flee to the margins of the solar system. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 29 Sep. 2025 Most of the time, a person’s immune system identifies and destroys these cells. Elizabeth Yuko, Flow Space, 24 Sep. 2025 Jake and Vince have an unbreakable bond that destroys everyone and everything, but as Law points out, their issues are rooted in their early family life. Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 This final betrayal will be his undoing, as the enraged creature, doomed to live without connection, care, or love, finally snaps and destroys everything Victor holds dear. Thomas Page McBee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025 The result is a Type Ia supernova that usually completely destroys the greedy white dwarf star. Robert Lea, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2025 In some cases, Diaz said, the immune system attacks and destroys the limbal stem cells that are essential for keeping the cornea clear. Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025 In those situations, the team typically takes the potentially explosive item to a remote area and destroys it, just to be safe, Putthoff said. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025 Also, in most instances, TEM usually destroys organic samples under the beam. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroys
Verb
  • If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
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
  • As plastic waste clogs rivers, kills marine life and threatens human health, many leaders of countries, communities and forward-looking companies are working on ways to stem the tide of plastic pollution.
    Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Advertisement In the quest to lure out Iblis, Khalid kills Ka-young’s grandmother, who dies protecting Min-ji.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Americans are used to thinking about automation as something that devastates factory towns in the heartland.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The novel is about three teenagers experiencing the joy and angst of their senior year in a New York City high school as the AIDS crisis devastates their community.
    Abdi Nazemian, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But maybe audiences will at least reach for their remotes and go to streaming for the killer doll that slays in more ways than one.
    Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2025
  • 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
  • Continue reading … HEAT HISTORY – Padres flamethrower shatters MLB record with jaw-dropping pitch in playoff battle.
    , FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Gunfire shatters windows at The Grand The fatal shooting in August was the latest incident amid ongoing crime problems there, the lawsuit says.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The whole image is a set of geometric elements receding precisely, which either or both ruins or/and enhances a little of the painting’s magic for me.
    Kate Colby October 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
  • At least four people were killed and eight wounded, and authorities were searching the building ruins for more victims.
    Isabella Volmert, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The trend isn’t one-sided either, as clips have surfaced of brides being the ones to start the frosting fight, like in this TikTok video where a bride smashes a piece of cake on her groom’s face.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Destroys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroys. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on destroys

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!