as in destruction
the act of destroying or damaging something deliberately so that it does not work correctly
Angry workers were responsible for the sabotage of the machines. Officials have not yet ruled out sabotage as a possible cause of the crash.
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1
as in to thwart
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2
as in to destroy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sabotage
Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Munya Chawawa and Sarah Millican get on fine as a team of two, but the team of three is thrown into chaos when John Kearnes is given secret instructions to sabotage his teammates, Fern Brady and Dara O’Briain.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Methods include propaganda, deception, sabotage and other non-military tactics, the alliance says.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sabotage
Noun
Co-written with Claire Douglas, Hannah Ellis, and Jason Massey, the song explores the uneasy tendency to sabotage our own happiness, pairing wistful guitars with Velasco's soaring vocals.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Munya Chawawa and Sarah Millican get on fine as a team of two, but the team of three is thrown into chaos when John Kearnes is given secret instructions to sabotage his teammates, Fern Brady and Dara O’Briain.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
Acts of sabotage on a daily basis.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Methods include propaganda, deception, sabotage and other non-military tactics, the alliance says.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sabotage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabotage
Noun
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The Wildcats hold a 10-8 edge over the Horned Frogs in their all-time series, including a 41-3 destruction of TCU in 2023 at Manhattan in the teams’ last meeting.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
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Cyrus — who married Hemsworth, 35, the following month after the destruction, before later separating in August 2019 — was left to grieve the many memories that were lost.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Johnson thwarted Messi again just before halftime with a heads-up save from close range.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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Its pull could be enough to interact with Tropical Cyclone Nine – the possible soon-to-be Hurricane Imelda – in the Atlantic Ocean and thwart major damage in North and South Carolina.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a five-floor apartment building in the Solomyanskyi district was partially destroyed and caught fire.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
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Mexico built a hydroelectric dam, where these golden barrel cactuses live and in an instant their environment was destroyed and this species was almost wiped out.—
Eyder Peralta,
NPR,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Leaving a dog at home alone can be nerve-wrecking for many owners, but pet-cam footage shows why Larry the greyhound's owner has nothing to worry about.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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The wrecking begins when Carey (Marvin), Paul’s best friend, ill-advisedly sleeps with Julie—and then, more ill-advisedly still, confesses it to Paul the next day.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Keita notes the majority of Africa's population is under 35 years old and millions are unemployed and frustrated with the status quo.—
Emmanuel Akinwotu,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
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He may be frustrated by the lack of basic defensive discipline and shape and Messi may shake his head at the incompetence behind him, but the choices made in roster construction just can’t always be compensated for by the boys from Barcelona.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
30 Sep. 2025
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The jerky in particular has ruined me for all other beef jerky—so be forewarned the same might happen to you.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Our plans were foiled, but our spirits remained high.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
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In June, Pashinyan announced that a plot had been foiled to oust his administration.—
Thomas de Waal,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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America will be watching Monday night’s early game, perhaps in much the same way traffic can’t help but slow to watch two cars that have just wrecked.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
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The crash marks the second time a vehicle wrecked into a dentist’s office in the Kansas City metro this week.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sabotage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabotage. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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