as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a lightning strike vaporized the tree
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Recent Examples of vaporizing
The use of shock waves, or blast overpressure (BOP), kills or disables enemies with the force of the explosion, vaporizing the weapon’s plastic outer shell.
—
Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Alternatively, the formation of this arc of iron plasma could be the result of the Ring Nebula's doomed star vaporizing an orbiting rocky planet as its outer layers puffed out.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Jan. 2026
For instance, many studies work by vaporizing samples and analyzing the fumes, but that method cannot reliably tell plastic from fatty tissue, leading to widespread false positives.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 14 Jan. 2026
But if the geological plumbing is clogged, perhaps by silica minerals or rock debris, the pressure can build until the water explodes, vaporizing into steam and shooting boiling water, mud, rocks, and other debris into the air.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 23 Dec. 2025
There is no moral universe in which vaporizing human beings in the middle of the ocean is an act of justice.
—Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 29 Nov. 2025
By contrast, two-phase cooling involves vaporizing coolant to absorb heat, providing higher thermal efficiency.
—Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2025
So they can be built on top of each other and connected with metal wiring, without researchers having to worry about vaporizing the metal.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 July 2017
Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Alternatively, the formation of this arc of iron plasma could be the result of the Ring Nebula's doomed star vaporizing an orbiting rocky planet as its outer layers puffed out.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Jan. 2026
For instance, many studies work by vaporizing samples and analyzing the fumes, but that method cannot reliably tell plastic from fatty tissue, leading to widespread false positives.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 14 Jan. 2026
But if the geological plumbing is clogged, perhaps by silica minerals or rock debris, the pressure can build until the water explodes, vaporizing into steam and shooting boiling water, mud, rocks, and other debris into the air.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 23 Dec. 2025
There is no moral universe in which vaporizing human beings in the middle of the ocean is an act of justice.
—Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 29 Nov. 2025
By contrast, two-phase cooling involves vaporizing coolant to absorb heat, providing higher thermal efficiency.
—Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2025
So they can be built on top of each other and connected with metal wiring, without researchers having to worry about vaporizing the metal.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vaporizing
Verb
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Giant sheets of plastic hang from the ceiling to separate different areas for destroying things and painting.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
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Pests and wood-destroying organisms Charlotte’s warm, humid climate makes termites a year-round threat, not just seasonal.—
Ryan Brennan
May 15,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
Verb
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When sound came in, people were writing all these articles about how sound is ruining films.—
Andy Hazel,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
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Dyckman’s sharing the top three outdoor decor trends that are ruining your space—plus, her favorite Amazon swaps to fix them, starting at $22.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The work included demolishing one stand entirely to create the space required to facilitate those media demands.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
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While the Israel Defense Forces continue to dismantle the physical fortress — recently demolishing the largest Hezbollah tunnel network in southern Lebanon — the Iranian people are dismantling the regime’s internal legitimacy.—
Liram Koblentz-Stenzler,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The administration’s norm-shattering masks a more fundamental misunderstanding of how administrative power can bring about lasting change.—
Joshua M. Sharfstein,
STAT,
16 May 2026
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At that price point, the home will likely become the most expensive home sold in Miami-Dade, shattering the record set by Zuckerberg earlier this year.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The line was a wrecking crew that also managed to outscore the opposition.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Victor Wembanyama delivered another masterpiece with 39 points, 15 rebounds and more game-wrecking defense for the San Antonio Spurs, who took a 2-1 lead in the second-round NBA playoff series with a 115-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Declining demand and cheap imports meant most mines had closed by the 1990s, devastating an economy built around them.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
-
Right now, communities are still waiting on disaster funding after devastating wildfires.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Suarez was caught on surveillance camera smashing into the Volkswagen Jetta on Amsterdam Ave.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
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Dwight reached out and squeezed my upper arm, pulling me into a bear hug, smashing my face against the rough canvas of his jacket, his gloved hand on my ass pulling me closer.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vaporizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vaporizing. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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