1
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
they practically destroyed the safe in order to get at the money inside their poor scores on the final exam destroyed any chance they might have had to pass the course
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to ravage
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
wildfires destroyed thousands of acres in forests across the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to kill
to deprive of life
regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of destroy
Pratt has focused heavily on the city’s handling of the fire, which destroyed his home.
—
David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Her reelection bid comes after a first term defined by a series of overlapping crises, including homelessness, the immigration enforcement raids, public safety concerns, and the Palisades fire that erupted last January, killing 12 people and destroying thousands of homes.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Turbocharge terror If combined with the facial recognition and social media monitoring commonly deployed by the Department of Homeland Security, those reams of data would turbocharge ICE’s terror campaign in the short term and destroy American civil liberties in the long term.
—Tressie McMillan Cottom, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, Tabrizi took a different path to studying conditions that damage and destroy parts of the human nervous system.
—Hunter Geisel, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Her reelection bid comes after a first term defined by a series of overlapping crises, including homelessness, the immigration enforcement raids, public safety concerns, and the Palisades fire that erupted last January, killing 12 people and destroying thousands of homes.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Turbocharge terror If combined with the facial recognition and social media monitoring commonly deployed by the Department of Homeland Security, those reams of data would turbocharge ICE’s terror campaign in the short term and destroy American civil liberties in the long term.
—Tressie McMillan Cottom, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, Tabrizi took a different path to studying conditions that damage and destroy parts of the human nervous system.
—Hunter Geisel, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
Verb
-
Romero’s red card for a foul on Casemiro in the 29th minute of Tottenham’s defeat to Manchester United on Saturday ruined Frank’s game plan.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Applying baking soda to some surfaces or materials could ruin it, scratch it or lose its shine, according to the pros.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Wildfires have also ravaged grasslands used to graze cattle, according to the White House.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
His family emigrated to escape the proxy Cold War conflicts that ravaged the nation from 1978 to 1990.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Democrats demanded new restrictions on federal immigration agents in exchange for voting to fund DHS after Alex Pretti was killed last month in Minneapolis.—
Riley Beggin,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Cuba said 32 of its citizens were killed in the attack.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The former Portage Township Schools Administration building will be the first to be demolished this spring when workers begin preparing to build the new Aylesworth Middle School.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The village is demolishing homes to make way for the redevelopment and will relocate residents elsewhere on campus, Timberlake said.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The synthetic opioid is far more potent than heroin and has devastated communities across the country.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
In Kristin Dwyer's In Time With You (out March 3 from Wednesday Books), that's the conundrum facing Nieve Monroe, who's devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The event paid fitting tribute to the recent passing of actress Catherine O’Hara, who slayed in the 2000 film Best in Show.—
Greg Cote
February 8,
Miami Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The slaying dramatized the perils faced by journalists in Mexico, where scores have been slain in recent years.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When Mom reached Dad on the telephone in the White House pantry to commiserate over the earth-shattering news, Dad’s response was disbelieving.—
John Wrory Ficklin,
Time,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But there are no predictions of record-shattering win totals this time – even as the Dodgers head into the season as favorites to three-peat.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lanni was sitting nearby at Sei Less when LaForte wrecked the witness’ table.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The barber chair, the locus of Sweeney’s revenge on the heartless cruelty of a Victorian London that wrecked his life, isn’t the elaborate contraption of other productions.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
