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
Most of the destruction will unfold from noon on Monday to noon on Tuesday.
—
Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025
Catastrophic wind conditions are expected to begin in Jamaica Monday night and persist into early Tuesday, threatening widespread destruction across the island.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Blain was charged in San Diego Superior Court with four felony counts of perjury, asking for a bribe by a member of a legislative body, soliciting a bribe and destruction or removal of public records, along with misdemeanor petty theft.
—Susan Gill Vardon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
The plan’s 13th point calls for the permanent destruction of the 500 miles of tunnels built by Hamas under Gaza.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025
Catastrophic wind conditions are expected to begin in Jamaica Monday night and persist into early Tuesday, threatening widespread destruction across the island.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Blain was charged in San Diego Superior Court with four felony counts of perjury, asking for a bribe by a member of a legislative body, soliciting a bribe and destruction or removal of public records, along with misdemeanor petty theft.
—Susan Gill Vardon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
The plan’s 13th point calls for the permanent destruction of the 500 miles of tunnels built by Hamas under Gaza.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destruction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destruction
Noun
-
The devastation that Melissa left behind has left 25,000 people still in shelters in Jamaica on Wednesday, according to Sky News.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Jamaica is waking up to devastation, with severe damage to infrastructure including the electric grid, hospitals and schools.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Thompson; Hoss adds a blaze-of-glory brio to Eileen’s downfall; Thompson; a visual palette that prizes both old-school glamour and pomo maximalism; and Thompson.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
-
At the same time, Congress didn’t establish any federal standard for sports betting—an omission that would later contribute to PASPA’s downfall.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To better understand how these storms can wreak so much havoc, our research team created simulations to show how storms interact with Earth’s natural magnetic shield and trigger the dangerous geomagnetic activity that can shut down electric grids.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive amounts of product into the United States, causing death, destruction, and havoc.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Wedding fundraising pages are not invoices that require payment under threat of credit ruination.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
The images that emerged last week of the sudden demolition of the White House’s entire East Wing have inspired an array of feelings.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Trump’s recent demolition of the East Wing to construct a new multimillion-dollar ballroom has sparked a wave of criticism, including from historians and preservation groups.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The news came amid officials stating that a coroner found inconsistencies in her death, though discrepancies were not reported in 2018, and no autopsy was performed.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Weekly Newsletter Hamida’s first such meeting is with a twelve-year-old Hindu girl named Kammo, whose father abandoned her after the death of her mother.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This is why leading AI scientists warn that developing superintelligence could result in humanity’s extinction.—
Andrea Miotti,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Alongside their impressive achievements, the founding generation failed to reach a just accommodation with the Native American population, and failed to end slavery or, more realistically, put it on the road to extinction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Stella’s undoing wasn’t a spiral contained to Season 4, though.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
-
That sets up Saturday’s game as an opportunity for Auburn’s coach — or perhaps his undoing.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destruction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destruction. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share