as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the virtual decimation of the coastal town by the hurricane
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Recent Examples of decimation
Dozens of publications have printed lengthy editorials on the eventuality of job decimation.
—
Zack Kass, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
This was the weakest Australian side since Andrew Strauss led England to a famous 3-1 victory against them in 2010-11, and it was made worse by injury problems that led to the decimation of Australia’s first-choice bowling attack.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Opened in 1927 in response to the near-decimation of the koala population in Australia – the cuddly creatures were hunted for their pelts – Lone Pine is now home to about 100 koalas along with other native Australian fauna.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
Language purists like to remind anyone who will listen that decimation actually means the slaughter of one in ten people, and was the military punishment wielded by the Roman army against deserters and mutineers.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
No doubt the decimation of the terrorist group’s ranks by Israeli strikes concentrated minds among its leaders.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
And then 95% of prisoners and detainees are eventually released to the community, where the decimation of life skills caused by solitary confinement makes successful reintegration much less likely.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
Now, the decimation of the environment and indigenous people across the world, from the palm oil plantations of Indonesia to the cobalt mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has reached the shores of Great Nicobar.
—M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
The decimation of critical institutions, like the NIH [National Institutes of Health] and the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], will lead to the loss of innocent lives.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Sep. 2025
Zack Kass, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
This was the weakest Australian side since Andrew Strauss led England to a famous 3-1 victory against them in 2010-11, and it was made worse by injury problems that led to the decimation of Australia’s first-choice bowling attack.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Opened in 1927 in response to the near-decimation of the koala population in Australia – the cuddly creatures were hunted for their pelts – Lone Pine is now home to about 100 koalas along with other native Australian fauna.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
Language purists like to remind anyone who will listen that decimation actually means the slaughter of one in ten people, and was the military punishment wielded by the Roman army against deserters and mutineers.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
No doubt the decimation of the terrorist group’s ranks by Israeli strikes concentrated minds among its leaders.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
And then 95% of prisoners and detainees are eventually released to the community, where the decimation of life skills caused by solitary confinement makes successful reintegration much less likely.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
Now, the decimation of the environment and indigenous people across the world, from the palm oil plantations of Indonesia to the cobalt mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has reached the shores of Great Nicobar.
—M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
The decimation of critical institutions, like the NIH [National Institutes of Health] and the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], will lead to the loss of innocent lives.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimation
Noun
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Starring Elordi and Barry Keoghan, Fennell’s dark comedy about class resentment and covetous destruction was sold on the promise of erotic excess.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Though once vital to the economy of the American territory, Puerto Rico’s sugar plantations evolved to represent the destruction and exploitation of colonialism that continues to impact the region today—a detail not lost on those cast as grass.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Palestinian American poet Noor Hindi and the Sudanese American poet Safia Elhillo described the devastation of their homelands.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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The conflict that ended in 1992 resulted in the deaths of 75,000 civilians, forced more than a million Salvadorans to flee the country and caused severe economic devastation for those who remained.—
Yamlek Mojica,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For people accustomed to the idea that nature was eternal and unchanging, Holmes observes, the idea of extinction was profoundly troubling.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Starship launches from Starbase Musk has often spoken about his vision of colonizing other worlds in our solar system to ensure humanity's survival in the event of an extinction-level even on Earth.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ebba Andersson tumbled and snapped the ski binding in the second leg, giving Norway the advantage on a day where warm weather caused slushy corners that created havoc in the early stages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Three minutes of comedy chasing and evasive action ensued before play resumed, only for the four-legged fiend to return to wreak more havoc than the home attack had previously shown.—
Craig Chisnall,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Well, at least there’s a Super Bowl ad that addresses the frustration many may be feeling, courtesy of the company that provides pills for hair loss, weight loss and libido loss.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Payton’s longtime assistant, Lombardi was fired a few days after the Broncos’ AFC Championship Game loss.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The site is slated for demolition and redevelopment into Mae Street Village.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
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The gift from Zuckerberg and Meta will fund abatement, demolition, and initial construction of the campus, enabling new student housing alongside new academic spaces, including STEM facilities and an AI center.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decimation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimation. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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