pulverizes

verb

present tense third-person singular of pulverize
1
as in destroys
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of buildings pulverized by a killer tornado

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grinds
to reduce to fine particles pulverize the cement into dust for reuse

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 pulverizes The biggest reason why is the Gators’ four-man meat grinder of a frontcourt, which pulverizes opponents defensively and on the offensive glass. — Brendan Marks, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulverizes
  1. destroys
  2. grinds
  3. demolishes
  4. crushes
  5. shatters
  6. pounds
  7. ruins
  8. disintegrates
Verb
  • But halfway through the trip, an earthquake strikes, causing an avalanche that destroys their mountainside path, separates them from John and strands them 4,000 feet in the air.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Leaving corn in boiling water for too long increases water retention and destroys corn’s crispy texture.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroys
Verb
  • Finance ministers and central bank officials of G20 countries convene in Asheville, North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday as the US-Iran war grinds into its sixth month, raising inflation expectations and keeping energy prices elevated.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As Poles grinds through his Sunday, The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain and Dan Wiederer offer this roster projection.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of grinds
Verb
  • An $8,000 Ryvid Anthem or a $10,000 Maeving RM1S will deliver broadly similar urban usability, while the $12,500 Zero FXE absolutely demolishes it on power-per-dollar.
    — Utkarsh Sood June 12, New Atlas, 12 June 2026
  • The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Definition of demolishes
Verb
  • Once there, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf watch as the butterfly approaches the outstretched hand of a woman whose face is obscured, before the ominous presence crushes it in her hands.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Katie Ledecky crushes the world record in the 1,500 freestyle for her second gold medal at the world swimming championships in Barcelona, Spain.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of crushes
Verb
  • But before any collective exhale can commence, the mood shatters.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Inadvertently, our entry shatters the glass ceiling, since Georgia and I are the only girls there.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of shatters
Verb
  • Part of the problem is that every summer, water pounds down on sidewalks in the Treasure Valley, drops rippling on glassy reflective surfaces, all because of sprinkler jets overshooting the grass and landing on pavement.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine pounds Russia with long-range strikes At the same time, Ukraine has shifted the war onto Russian soil through long-range drone strikes on oil facilities that have caused fuel shortages across Russia.
    — Volodymyr Yurchuk, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of pounds
Verb
  • And that’s a bit of a problem, because nothing ruins the allure of the new and novel quite like ubiquity.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Actual Roman ruins As for those interested in seeing legitimate sites, Arya recommends Verona for an amphitheater, or Aquileia, two and a half hours northeast on Veneto’s border with Friuli.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruins
Verb
  • Even those who can afford to stay suffer losses in home equity and lifestyle as the community around them disintegrates or disappears.
    — The Conversation, Fortune, 12 June 2026
  • None are quite about the conflicting frames of reference and value that arise when an ancient cultural formation disintegrates and a successor has yet to take its place.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of disintegrates

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Cite this Entry

“Pulverizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulverizes. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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