1
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the violent storm resulted in the destruction of their tree house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
alcohol will be her destruction if we don't intervene to help her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destruction
The results also point to a broader cosmic cycle of destruction and creation, in which shockwaves from dying stars help shape the environments where new stars are born.
—
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 1 June 2026
Although Vecna is bent on total destruction in the show, Bower never thought of him as a villain.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
International tourism has fallen sharply, as fear about wildfire destruction and ICE raids across parts of the city has kept more travelers away.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Some glue-style drugs target bad proteins for destruction after sticking to them.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 1 June 2026
Although Vecna is bent on total destruction in the show, Bower never thought of him as a villain.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
International tourism has fallen sharply, as fear about wildfire destruction and ICE raids across parts of the city has kept more travelers away.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
Some glue-style drugs target bad proteins for destruction after sticking to them.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destruction
Noun
-
The unexplained detonation of explosives stored by one of Myanmar’s rebel armies has killed dozens, the militia that controls the village and witnesses said Monday, as the search for survivors continued amid widespread devastation at the site.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
-
Leigh opened up about the devastation of his loss last month.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
As Nick Saban mentioned, the former Alabama coach insists that the current system is going to be the downfall of athletic programs across the country.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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Last month, the government also charged a special forces soldier who made over $400,000 from Polymarket trades betting on the downfall of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The Hornets thrived all season by creating havoc on the base paths.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
-
Federico Chiesa Even though injuries have played havoc with Liverpool’s attack, Chiesa has been unable to secure a more meaningful role.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Some of these are arranged into more staid compositions of geometric bands of color, while others bend and bulge into shapes evoking the baroque ruination of junk-yard findings.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The only thing that would satisfy the gremlin in me is the ruination of my freedom.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The list highlights some of the community's most historic landmarks, either shuttered or at risk of demolition.—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
The annual event marks the anniversary of the estate’s rescue from potential demolition by Flagler’s granddaughter, Jean Flagler Matthews, who established the Flagler Museum in 1959.—
Kari Barnett,
Sun Sentinel,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Emergency responders say the toddler's death is a tragic reminder of how dangerous the water is, especially at this time of year when peak water flows are being recorded.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
Leach's final coaching stop was at Mississippi State before his death in December 2022.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
For months, the loudest voices in artificial intelligence—including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei—warned that entry-level white-collar jobs were headed for extinction.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
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As this natural history points out, birds are dinosaurs—the only ones who survived the last extinction event.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Harvard-Westlake’s final undoing came in the fifth inning with the game tied 1-1.—
gqlshare,
Daily News,
27 May 2026
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That sort of sample size is more than enough to infuse the young upstarts with extreme confidence, perhaps countering the massive gap in playoff experience that was supposed to be the Spurs’ undoing.—
Sam Amick,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destruction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destruction. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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