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 If convicted, Polite faces up to six months in prison for obstruction of mail and one year for delay or destruction of mail, prosecutors said. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 Polite was charged with one count of obstructing the passage of mail and one count of destruction or delay of mail. — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026 Another rise in prices, or oil prices sustained at this level, will only lead to even more demand destruction. — Amena Bakr, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026 However, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment with only two charges — destruction of property by means of fire and arson affecting property used in interstate commerce. — City News Service, Daily News, 2 Nov. 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
  • The devastation wreaked on the Republican Party last week was simply astounding, with their candidates losing in just about every place and every spot up and down ballot.
    — Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
  • And as Japan rebuilds from both wartime devastation and from Godzilla’s rampage through various cities, including Tokyo, a new threat arrives from outer space—and this one can fly.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of devastation
Noun
  • Madigan’s downfall began with women angered by his handling of #MeToo incidents involving his campaign and government staff in 2017 and 2018.
    — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
  • How To Air Dry Jeans Properly One of the downfalls that comes with air drying jeans is ending up with a pair that feels stiff or scratchy.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of downfall
Noun
  • Last year, business leaders reached out to the mayor’s team to express their fears that the City Council’s plan to raise the minimum wage for hotel and airport workers to $30 per hour would wreak financial havoc on the city’s hospitality industry.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the war has wreaked global havoc with no end in sight.
    — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 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
  • Pan Am’s Miami headquarters first opened in 1964, sat empty for 15 years, and was slated for demolition before PS restored it.
    — Lauren Harano, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • According to The Real Deal, demolition permits have been sought for the sites, and the city has approved the removal of several structures, including homes and guesthouses.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of demolition
Noun
  • Electrical stimulation increased stress inside the bacteria, contributing to cellular damage and death.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The subsequent death of Maricarmen, as the woman became known, solidified her as a symbol of Spaniards who can't dream of owning a home.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of death
Noun
  • In the early 19th century, California’s sea otters were hunted to the brink of extinction, the unparalleled softness and value of their fur drawing fur trappers all the way from Russia into California.
    — Joseph Ogilvy, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The timing has raised questions about whether the environmental changes following that extinction helped the fungus’s ancestors thrive.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of extinction
Noun
  • If Acting President Stephen Miller won’t fire him, Hegseth’s undoing may happen as soon as this week anyway.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 11 Nov. 2026
  • But when an intrepid journalist turns that spotlight to expose alleged misconduct, whether criminal or otherwise, fame can also be their undoing.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 10 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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