as in extermination
formal
a usually violent act in which something is damaged or destroyed or in which a person or animal is killed
The town had somehow escaped the depredations of enemy soldiers.
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Recent Examples of depredation
In those cases, the GFP says mountain lions were lethally removed due to livestock depredation, attacks on pets, or concerns and threats to public safety.
—
Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 20 Mar. 2026
In October 2024, 20 mountain lions were killed through depredation permits statewide, the DFW reported.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026
Wolf depredation in Cochise County last summer resulted in the relocation of a pack from southern Arizona to captivity in New Mexico.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Powers and his wife Marilyn keep watch over the cattle for the Predator Conservation Alliance to help keep wolves and grizzly bears out of the herds and reduce livestock depredation.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Keith Michael Lisa, 51, of Barnegat, was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon in a federal facility and depredation of federal property, Habba announced Tuesday.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 19 Nov. 2025
Federal wildlife agents confirmed the two depredation events, which took place Friday and Saturday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite years of sitting on the sidelines, the United States has an opportunity to reassert itself in seeking to end the depredations of the junta and advance the cause of democracy in Myanmar.
—Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025
Four people were arrested, and three were charged felony offenses of assaulting a federal officer, while the fourth was charged with misdemeanor offense of depredation of government property, according to a Department of Justice press release.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025
Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 20 Mar. 2026
In October 2024, 20 mountain lions were killed through depredation permits statewide, the DFW reported.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026
Wolf depredation in Cochise County last summer resulted in the relocation of a pack from southern Arizona to captivity in New Mexico.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Powers and his wife Marilyn keep watch over the cattle for the Predator Conservation Alliance to help keep wolves and grizzly bears out of the herds and reduce livestock depredation.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Keith Michael Lisa, 51, of Barnegat, was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon in a federal facility and depredation of federal property, Habba announced Tuesday.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 19 Nov. 2025
Federal wildlife agents confirmed the two depredation events, which took place Friday and Saturday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite years of sitting on the sidelines, the United States has an opportunity to reassert itself in seeking to end the depredations of the junta and advance the cause of democracy in Myanmar.
—Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025
Four people were arrested, and three were charged felony offenses of assaulting a federal officer, while the fourth was charged with misdemeanor offense of depredation of government property, according to a Department of Justice press release.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for depredation
Noun
-
Following the animal’s death and diagnosis, 64 rats that were killed through extermination or found dead on the San Diego Zoo property were examined, and two adult rats were found to be infected with lungworms and associated pneumonia.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
For the safest extermination method, spray the nest after dusk when the wasps are not active.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The conflict looks set to batter allies’ economies by driving inflation up and hitting economic growth, while analysts have questioned the feasibility of Washington’s goals — whether regime change, or destruction of Tehran’s nuclear program or its missile stockpiles.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The storm’s heavy rains caused widespread flooding that killed at least 43 people and led to the destruction of banana plantations, sorghum, beans, cassava, coffee and other crops as well as the loss of livestock.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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California lawmakers on Tuesday moved forward on a bill that could lead to the re-introduction of grizzly bears to the state, more than a century after the quarter-ton predators were hunted into local extinction.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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Tony told us how large trawlers would go out farther into the water and catch more than locals did, gradually shrinking the cod population to near extinction.—
Akash Kapur,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The slaughter of hundreds of our service members with roadside bombs.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Now amid the Greeley strike and other slaughter plant capacity reductions — including the closure of a major Tyson Foods’ plant in Nebraska — JBS and other companies are seeing profits increase, Martin said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ghaemi said that this language was reminiscent of the propaganda that helped fuel and justify other historic atrocities, such as the massacres in Myanmar or Rwanda.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
And Glocks have been the killing machine of choice in some of America’s most horrifying massacres, including Virginia Tech in 2007, which left 33 dead, including the gunman, and the shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in California in November 2018, where a gunman killed 13 people, then himself.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the day since the fire, Shinneman said the H&R Block branch has already been shown a multitude of kindness from members of the community in the wake of the devastation.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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The memoir has struck a chord with readers facing unexpected divorces or other marital devastation.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Depredation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/depredation. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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