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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in to thwart
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in to destroy
Related Words
Dissimilar 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 sabotage
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Whether the product of deliberate policymaking or whim, Trump’s capacity for sabotaging the World Cup and Olympics is vast.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Nakissa Jahanbani, The Conversation, 20 June 2025
Iran won’t simply absorb aerial bombardment or shrug off sabotage.
—Narges Bajoghli, Time, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sabotage
Noun
In mid-April, Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche fired a seasoned immigration lawyer who the Trump administration accused of sabotaging its legal case over the mistaken deportation of a Maryland man to his native El Salvador.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Whether the product of deliberate policymaking or whim, Trump’s capacity for sabotaging the World Cup and Olympics is vast.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Verb
Over the years, Tehran has built up a network of hacking groups to conduct reconnaissance, disinformation, data theft, sabotage and influence operations.
—Nakissa Jahanbani, The Conversation, 20 June 2025
Iran won’t simply absorb aerial bombardment or shrug off sabotage.
—Narges Bajoghli, Time, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sabotage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabotage
Noun
-
July 6, 2025: A large scale of destruction in Georgetown, downed trees show the aftermath of raging floodwaters in the South San Gabriel River.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
-
Distressed styles have also done incredibly well for the brand, with two of its top seasonal styles featuring varying degrees of abrasion, from light fading to medium destruction.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
Russia's ambitions to produce more military aircraft are being thwarted by a shortage of components caused by sanctions and a growing labor shortage, it has been reported.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 July 2025
-
The Sydney Project team had their first dive attempt thwarted by weather conditions, but their second attempt on June 18 proved successful.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
In September 2024, the same month as the pager attack and assassination of Hezbollah’s leader, Israel launched the most extensive campaign of airstrikes in the air force’s history hitherto, destroying much of Hezbollah’s strategic surface-to-surface missile stockpiles.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
As rumors swirl and her life collapses, Eva faces a choice: protect herself or expose Amir’s secret and risk destroying him.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
Williams often got frustrated with him and told him to be quiet.—
Michael Cuglietta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 July 2025
-
Body camera footage released after the demonstration showed police disagreed about the tactics and people were immediately frustrated with the response.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
And just like that, Donald Trump ruined something else.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
26 June 2025
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Daniella Segura,
Sacbee.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Iran’s first major response to the June 21 U.S. attack on its nuclear facilities appears to have been mostly foiled and launched against a base that had been largely evacuated, according to U.S. officials.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
-
The original Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! debuted in 1988, with Leslie Nielsen starring as Detective Frank Drebin, trying to foil an assassination attempt on Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the US.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
The facility had been subject to sabotage and subterfuge by Israel for many years even before these attacks–including a computer virus that wrecked the centrifuges over a decade ago.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
26 June 2025
-
All three spent Wednesday warning that Mamdani would wreck New York.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
When restrained, Perry falls to the ground while still cursing, as seen in another video, and is then removed from the flight.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
-
Earlier this month, on June 17, a 32-year-old female New York resident was restrained and removed from a Southwest flight from LaGuardia to Kansas City.—
Colson Thayer,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sabotage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabotage. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share