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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For decades, factories discharged pollution into waterways and wetlands, destroying natural habitats and forcing residents to live in the shadow of smokestacks and refineries.—
Gretchen Kalwinski,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
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In my view, Iran is hellbent on destroying Israel and America.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Historically, barrels of Madeira spent months crossing tropical oceans aboard ships, and merchants realized that the heat actually improved the wine rather than ruining it.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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The antics each week involved lovable Gilligan ruining a plan to get the gang rescued, but also ogling the bombshell Ginger (Tina Louise) and getting annoyed by Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus).—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Indeed, many media observers—inside and outside the network—have gone so far as to suggest that demolishing the status quo seems to be central to Weiss’s mandate.—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
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In February 2024, police gave him and his wife minutes to pack before demolishing their home.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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People in the crowd also took bats to five NYPD vehicles and jumped on them, shattering front and back windows, officials said.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
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Videos online showed Knicks fans stomping on Citi Bikes, climbing street lamps, shattering windows and attacking taxi cabs.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Belt-Stubblefield did not stop and ended up wrecking his car.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
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The kind of game-wrecking force that the Rams enjoyed playing behind during Aaron Donald’s tenure, and one the defense has missed since Donald’s retirement prior to the 2024 season.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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The carp have already shifted Mississippi River ecosystems by crowding out native fish, devastating some areas.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Verb
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One video appeared to show two people jumping onto the roof of an NYPD vehicle and smashing its windshield.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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Yes to hugging and high-fiving a stranger; no to tearing down a lamppost and smashing a cop car.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vaporizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vaporizing. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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