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
2
as in ravages
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 kills
to deprive of life
regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroys
After a catastrophic debris strike destroys their shuttle during a spacewalk, Sandra Bullock’s astronaut is left untethered, spinning silently against the vastness of space, while George Clooney’s veteran astronaut tries to guide her from a distance.
—
Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn – amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action – gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
Though the role required sacrificing vanity, when Catherine's father (Ralph Richardson) destroys her chances to marry a gold-digger (Montgomery Clift), the double betrayal transforms the shy woman into an iron maiden.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
During the tantrum, the child verbally abuses the parent and also destroys property within the home.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
However, the harsh radiation inside such nebulae normally destroys fragile compounds, making the survival of volatile ice extremely unlikely.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2026
Brown destroys man coverage, threatens all three levels of the field and can rack up yards after the catch.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Israel routinely destroys equipment meant for reconstruction; Human Rights Watch found that Israel had destroyed more than 360 heavy machines — bulldozers, excavators, and factories producing asphalt and cement — in four different attacks in south Lebanon.
—Justin Salhani, The Dial, 5 Mar. 2026
The disease destroys the appearance and value of the trees, eventually killing infected trees, typically within a few years.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn – amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action – gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
Though the role required sacrificing vanity, when Catherine's father (Ralph Richardson) destroys her chances to marry a gold-digger (Montgomery Clift), the double betrayal transforms the shy woman into an iron maiden.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
During the tantrum, the child verbally abuses the parent and also destroys property within the home.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
However, the harsh radiation inside such nebulae normally destroys fragile compounds, making the survival of volatile ice extremely unlikely.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2026
Brown destroys man coverage, threatens all three levels of the field and can rack up yards after the catch.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Israel routinely destroys equipment meant for reconstruction; Human Rights Watch found that Israel had destroyed more than 360 heavy machines — bulldozers, excavators, and factories producing asphalt and cement — in four different attacks in south Lebanon.
—Justin Salhani, The Dial, 5 Mar. 2026
The disease destroys the appearance and value of the trees, eventually killing infected trees, typically within a few years.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroys
Verb
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The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As of early Monday morning, nearly 150 flights at MIA had been impacted, and that's expected to increase as the winter storm ravages the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.—
February 23,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The tall green trees pop against the clear blue sky, until a wildfire ravages the forest and changes Grainger’s life.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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OpenAI kills Sora Talk about a script change.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
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The team realized that radiation kills chips by trapping electrical charges in transistors’ insulating layers.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kyiv residents endure long daily blackouts as Russia devastates the power system, leaving tower block dwellers freezing in apartments with no heat or light.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2026
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Exacerbating the problem, unpredictable rainfall cycling between drought and floods further devastates the region.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Teyana Taylor slays in red at an event in Las Vegas, while Hudson Williams smiles for the cameras at Men's Fashion Week in Milan.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
18 Jan. 2026
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Chriselle Lim demonstrates that a precise center part, along with a straight style, is the perfect formula for a sharp bob that slays.—
Omenaa Boakye,
InStyle,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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For example, people now take care to wear shoes at home in case an explosion shatters glass, or there’s a need to evacuate immediately.—
Jason Rezaian,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
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At that moment, the mirror reflecting the entire contents of Frenza’s mind from the past few days shatters in a kaleidoscope of dreams.—
Agnieszka Szpila,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One drop of red dye ruins the whole thing.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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And as per usual, a man ruins everything.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Delivery robot smashes into glass of bus shelter in Old Town on Tuesday afternoon.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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In fact, Bridget has a bold take that smashes our assumptions about what science is supposed to look like to smithereens.—
Mariel Carr,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroys. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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