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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroy
If trillion-dollar bonds are required to contest trillion-dollar damages our government is causing, that destroys the protections our Constitution provides its citizens against the rule of tyrants.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
People are worried if there is a major war, adversaries could shoot down our satellites and destroy our GPS systems and mobile communications.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
While most of the impacts shattered the outer lens, internal components that were destroyed in Read's vehicle remained intact in multiple test taillights.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2025
The second destroyed the house and his car and killed his three dogs, according to social media posts from Joss and his partner.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
People are worried if there is a major war, adversaries could shoot down our satellites and destroy our GPS systems and mobile communications.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
While most of the impacts shattered the outer lens, internal components that were destroyed in Read's vehicle remained intact in multiple test taillights.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2025
The second destroyed the house and his car and killed his three dogs, according to social media posts from Joss and his partner.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
Verb
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The front nine, which has ruined more than a handful of U.S. Open rounds over the last two days, proved to be much tougher.—
Troy Finnegan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Sara Schilling,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Fraser delivers a brimstone sermon worthy of a Baptist preacher at a tent revival, raging at plutocrats who ravage those with less (or nothing at all).—
Hamilton Cain,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
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Injuries have ravaged Houston’s starting rotation to an almost unrecognizable state.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Verb
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The California Department of Justice will investigate a fatal shooting by Los Angeles Police Department officers under a law that empowers the state attorney general to probe police shootings of unarmed people — despite the LAPD saying the man killed Tuesday was holding a gun.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
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Without treatment, the disease eventually kills the corals, and their soft tissue falls off, revealing the white calcium carbonate skeleton below.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
5 June 2025
Verb
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In 2012, Texas Wesleyan went to the city’s historic and cultural landmarks commission seeking permission to demolish the home for further campus expansion, but were denied.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 June 2025
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Goldschmidt has demolished the NL Central in his career, with a slash line of .291/.388/.527 in almost 550 games played.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Chimney Rock State Park is set to reopen exactly nine months after being devastated by Hurricane Helene.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
6 June 2025
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The group warns that the ban on hemp products with THC would devastate legal businesses and drive demand toward the unregulated black market.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Parker also stars in How to Train Your Dragon as Astrid, a teen Viking who at first is a rival of Hiccup’s during dragon slaying training but eventually becomes an ally of Hiccup and Toothless.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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Their purpose was to slay dragons, so Watkins carried that lore into his designs.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Windshields of cars were shattered, bulldozers were removing rubble.—
Rebecca Rosman,
NPR,
14 June 2025
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The warheads aimed to do more than shatter concrete; they were meant to buy time, according to news reports.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
13 June 2025
Verb
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DeChambeau became the first defending champion to miss the cut at the national championship since Gary Woodland in 2020 — his round wrecked by errant drives, knucklers out of the rough and putts that would not drop.—
Apress,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2025
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When the blowback from this problem child’s dodgy associations threatens to wreck her life, the everymatriarch steps in.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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