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
Relevance
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
The species was found in a cold stream, and its habitat is threatened by tourism and habitat destruction.
—
Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Lake Urmia in western Iran is the starkest instance of ecological destruction.
—Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
The destruction the fires caused in January is still front of mind for the residents who lived in Altadena.
—Chiara Eisner, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
In her decades-long career, Goodall used her experience and fame to raise awareness to the dwindling chimpanzee populations and also the perils of environmental destruction.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Lake Urmia in western Iran is the starkest instance of ecological destruction.
—Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
The destruction the fires caused in January is still front of mind for the residents who lived in Altadena.
—Chiara Eisner, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
In her decades-long career, Goodall used her experience and fame to raise awareness to the dwindling chimpanzee populations and also the perils of environmental destruction.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destruction
Noun
-
Murderers Bar shows us the sum of industrial achievement and the stakes of its devastation, human-made but altogether more than human.—
Anne Reeve,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The new season will not lack for Academy Award hopefuls – among them, All the Walls Came Down, Ondi Timoner’s documentary about the devastation of the Eaton Fire in the Altadena neighborhood of Los Angeles and efforts to rebuild.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Despite his warning, lead poisoning may have contributed to the downfall of the Roman Empire through the use of lead in wine, bowls, cups, and cosmetics.—
Tom Frieden,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Starring Boszhardt, Gershon, Adrian Enscoe (Dickinson), Chelsea Gilligan (Star-Crossed), and Madison Lewis (Alexander IRL), the film chronicles the downfall of the once-powerful Wendolyn family.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Jilly will undoubtedly be best remembered for her chart-topping series The Rutshire Chronicles and its havoc-making and handsome show-jumping hero Rupert Campbell-Black.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In total, Elanga provided five first-half crosses and, while only Gordon’s counted as ‘completed’, that does a disservice to the havoc the Sweden international caused.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To call it a Life Ruiner is not to say that a life of letters is necessarily ruination—but rather, to identify it as the book . . .—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Fetterman and McCormick set for high-stakes Pennsylvania forum MAJOR HEADLINES ‘DAMAGING DECISION’ – Trump says tariff ruling could lead to 'economic ruination' of US.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
The sign — fixed high on the outside wall of the black and red painted concrete block building — was to be removed before demolition and donated to the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/ Museum under the requirements of the demolition contract.—
Mary Spicuzza,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In 1983, a report estimated that, since 1970, New York City had lost approximately three hundred and ten thousand apartments to abandonment or demolition—many were burned.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In 2023, there were seven positive cases and two deaths, and there were three positive cases and one death in 2022.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The initial air date would have been less than a month after Ozzy’s death, which came two weeks after the rock icon performed his final show, the all-star Back to the Beginning blow-out, at his home soccer stadium, Villa Park, in his hometown of Birmingham, England.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That has left dozens of species on the verge of extinction.—
Eyder Peralta,
NPR,
28 Sep. 2025
-
The Upper Cretaceous period, or late Cretaceous, represented the last true age of dinosaurs, stretching from about 100 million years ago to their extinction 66 million years ago.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What looks like good politics might also prove to be another step in the undoing of the Constitution’s checks and balances.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Their bullpen, perhaps, is the thing that will cause their undoing.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destruction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destruction. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share