as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the army's attack decimated the enemy's defenses beyond repair
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Recent Examples of decimating
The Mets lost Ronny Mauricio to a fractured thumb in Anaheim, decimating the once-robust infield depth.
—
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Other aims the administration has stated include destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, decimating its navy and stopping its support for regional militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 May 2026
No doubt the best-case scenario here is that the Samsung workers win…and get the right to continue manufacturing the mechanisms needed to fuel the large language models that are decimating jobs worldwide.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026
In the early 2000s, fishermen from other parts of Indonesia and Southeast Asia used explosives and large nets, damaging corals, decimating shark populations and forcing local residents who relied on fishing to travel as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) offshore for a catch.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
One of the more important revelations from Netanyahu’s press conference was about how the joint strikes with the United States, known as Operation Epic Fury, have been extremely effective at decimating Iran’s weapons.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Among those objectives are preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and decimating the country’s naval capabilities.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026
But these relatively weak protections for hundreds of acres of identical plants have resulted in outbreaks decimating crops that people depend on.
—Lily Peck, The Conversation, 17 Feb. 2026
Say goodbye to criminally high rental prices, steep mortgages, and the thought of decimating your savings with this modern, cabin-style tiny home that is ready to open its doors to you and welcome you to your dream life.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Other aims the administration has stated include destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, decimating its navy and stopping its support for regional militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 May 2026
No doubt the best-case scenario here is that the Samsung workers win…and get the right to continue manufacturing the mechanisms needed to fuel the large language models that are decimating jobs worldwide.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026
In the early 2000s, fishermen from other parts of Indonesia and Southeast Asia used explosives and large nets, damaging corals, decimating shark populations and forcing local residents who relied on fishing to travel as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) offshore for a catch.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
One of the more important revelations from Netanyahu’s press conference was about how the joint strikes with the United States, known as Operation Epic Fury, have been extremely effective at decimating Iran’s weapons.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Among those objectives are preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and decimating the country’s naval capabilities.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026
But these relatively weak protections for hundreds of acres of identical plants have resulted in outbreaks decimating crops that people depend on.
—Lily Peck, The Conversation, 17 Feb. 2026
Say goodbye to criminally high rental prices, steep mortgages, and the thought of decimating your savings with this modern, cabin-style tiny home that is ready to open its doors to you and welcome you to your dream life.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimating
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
-
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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Initial tests suggested the outbreak does not involve the Ebola Zaire strain, which caused Congo’s devastating 2018–2020 epidemic that killed more than 1,000 people.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
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Captiva Though the recovery isn’t totally complete, Captiva is bouncing back from both 2022’s devastating Hurricane Ian and the rough 2024 hurricane season.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
16 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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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
“Decimating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimating. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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