destruction

noun

di-ˈstrək-shən How to pronounce destruction (audio)
Definition of destructionnext
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

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 destruction Abu Agila Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi was charged with destruction of an aircraft resulting in death and destruction of a vehicle of interstate commerce by means of an explosive resulting in death. — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 Iran would retaliate against Gulf infrastructure, and the destruction would spread across states that are party to none of this. — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 30 July 2026 Lightning and more destruction follow Beneath this storm lies a landscape primed to burn. — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 And after King struck out Ezequiel Tovar, McCarthy drove in Julien with a single and Mickey Moniak resumed his destruction of his hometown team with a two-run homer. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for destruction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destruction
  1. devastation
  2. downfall
  3. havoc
  4. ruination
  5. demolition
  6. death
  7. extinction
  8. undoing
Noun
  • But although smallpox’s European origins are clear based on the timeline of its devastation, epidemiologists have yet to identify strong genetic evidence to support this arc.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
  • In 2016, a series of massive earthquakes killed 275 people, injured thousands more and caused widespread devastation, with more than 200,000 homes damaged.
    — Arion McNicoll, TheWeek, 29 July 2026
Definition of devastation
Noun
  • One downfall of being a homeowner is seeing your home start to become a place for unwelcome guests like bats.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 20 July 2026
  • Believing the Trojan Horse to be a peace offering, the officers drag the hollow figure inside the city walls and place it outside the Temple of Athena, which leads to Troy’s harrowing downfall hours later.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 19 July 2026
Definition of downfall
Noun
  • Being asked to prove yourself to AI can play havoc on your confidence and ruin your chances of getting your foot in the door.
    — Colleen Batchelder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • That also plays havoc with his control over his web-shooting capabilities, both the old-school organic method and the tech version built for him by Tony Stark.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • No other city in the country would blow off the ruination of a community.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of ruination
Noun
  • The Kansas City City Council approved a trio of ordinances on Thursday aimed at vacant properties that become nuisances and staving off demolition of historic buildings.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Skateboarders have flown in from every continent to ride the banks over the decades, and on Friday, a couple of locals came to say goodbye before the demolition.
    — Maddie White, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolition
Noun
  • Metro Fire officials were assisting the Rancho Cordova Police Department, which is leading the investigation into the woman’s death.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
  • As the community mourns the teenager, his death has also fueled calls for better access to mental health resources for young people.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of death
Noun
  • Environmental organizations have decried the change as a complete gutting that will rapidly accelerate extinctions, and have sued in federal court.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
  • The film combines animation with live-action footage to explore an unprecedented 1979 legal dispute that saw the rare Palila bird native to Hawaii sue the state to prevent its extinction amidst threats of climate change and fire.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 31 July 2026
Definition of extinction
Noun
  • Ultimately, the provisions meant to lock taxpayers in could be the wealth tax’s undoing.
    — Jared Walczak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2026
  • Nadella, in a nutshell, is saying that heavily relying on proprietary AI software could also be a company’s undoing.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 July 2026
Definition of undoing

Browse Nearby Words

destructible
destruction
destructions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Destruction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destruction. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on destruction

Nglish: Translation of destruction for Spanish Speakers

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