Synonyms of destroys

destroys

verb

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

• demolishes
• devastates
• shatters
• ruins
• smashes
• wrecks
• overcomes
• erodes
• wastes
• damages
• annihilates
• extinguishes
• decimates
• vaporizes
• cripples
• pulverizes
• kills
• dismantles
• ravages
• razes
• removes
• mars
• desolates
• crushes
• wracks
• breaks
• injures
• subdues
• defeats
• blasts
• nukes
• pulls down
• totals
• tears down
• rubs out
• does in
• disintegrates
• conquers
• creams
• impairs
• deteriorates
• harms
• dissolves
• spoils
• eradicates
• disfigures
• mutilates
• obliterates
• vitiates
• clobbers
• surmounts
• licks
• masters
• defaces
• undoes
• prevails (over)
• assassinates
• thrashes
• wins (against)
• trims
• vandalizes
• mangles
• trounces
• whips
• exterminates
• bests
• triumphs (over)
• routs
• slaughters
• sweeps (away)
• beats
• plunders
• unmakes
• slays
• dynamites
• blows up
• overbears
• wallops
• scours
• disassembles
• effaces
• expunges
• tramples
• wears (away)
• liquidates
• guts
• despoils
• extirpates
• murders
• trashes
• executes
• wipes out
• washes out
• loots
• zaps
• scotches
• overmatches
• stamps (out)
• takes down
• roots (out)
• pillages
• sacks
• blots out
• drubs
• cuts down
• snuffs (out)
• kills off
• dispatches
• mows (down)
• unbuilds
• takes out
• dilapidates
• fells
• massacres
• skunks
• havocs
• butchers

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• builds
• creates
• raises
• constructs
• erects
• repairs
• produces
• sets up
• doctors
• makes
• rears
• fixes
• invents
• puts up
• manufactures
• establishes
• protects
• constitutes
• forms
• assembles
• shapes
• preserves
• organizes
• saves
• fathers
• mends
• institutes
• reconditions
• founds
• restores
• brings about
• frames
• conserves
• revamps
• fashions
• patches
• forges
• fabricates
• reconstructs
• molds
• rebuilds
• renovates
• remodels

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

• ravages
• devastates
• ruins
• plunders
• obliterates
• overwhelms
• shatters
• scourges
• eradicates
• annihilates
• vaporizes
• wrecks
• despoils
• extinguishes
• demolishes
• decimates
• desolates
• loots
• expunges
• smashes
• strips
• pillages
• wastes
• wipes out
• extirpates
• wracks
• sacks
• harries
• mows
• forays
• nukes
• razes
• overpowers
• totals
• overthrows
• marauds
• rubs out
• overruns
• crushes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restores
• recovers
• redeems
• repairs
• rehabilitates
• reconditions
• fixes
• mends
• revamps
• patches

3

as in kills

to deprive of life

regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kills
• slays
• takes
• claims
• dispatches
• murders
• carries off
• slaughters
• fells
• does for
• neutralizes
• does away with
• croaks
• assassinates
• annihilates
• does in
• makes away with
• decimates
• wastes
• snuffs
• finishes
• smites
• cuts down
• executes
• mows
• gets
• kills off
• takes out
• terminates
• whacks
• puts away
• rubs out
• offs
• butchers
• knocks off
• blots out
• massacres
• ices
• bumps off
• martyrs
• scrags
• euthanizes
• puts down
• suicides

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• animates
• restores
• raises
• revives
• resurrects
• nurtures
• resuscitates

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of destroys

The approval marks another step forward for patients with spinal muscular atrophy, a rare and progressive disease that destroys nerve cells that control speaking, breathing, and walking. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 14 Sep. 2026

Among other things, Hinduism reveres femininity through the worship of powerful goddesses, including Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom; Kali, the goddess who destroys evil and ego; and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

Laser destroys 11 drones in 10 days US forces have stopped around 300 drones allegedly linked to cartels since the beginning of 2026. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026

But halfway through the trip, an earthquake strikes, causing an avalanche that destroys their mountainside path, separates them from John and strands them 4,000 feet in the air. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

This third photon is entangled with the first photon and then both are analyzed for their quantum states, which in the process destroys those states. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2026

Leaving corn in boiling water for too long increases water retention and destroys corn’s crispy texture. — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026

Frustration of purpose is a legal doctrine that says a contract can be discharged when an unforeseen event destroys the fundamental reason one party entered the agreement. — Ashlee Difuntorum, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Emanuel Maiberg talks to an employee at the warehouse where Amazon scans and destroys books for AI training. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026