as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the army's attack decimated the enemy's defenses beyond repair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 decimate
After all, now that the Iranian regime's military leadership has been decimated and its regional position profoundly eroded, courtesy of Israel, Tehran is far less useful as a strategic partner.
—
Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
Flash floods roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday, decimating landscape near the river and leaving more than 80 dead and dozens unaccounted for.
—Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025
That’s the case of some Hawaiian palms sent to San Diego because they are being decimated in the wild by an invasive bug.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
That’s due in large part to the uninhabited status of the island, strict conservation protections and the absence of invasive species like rats or cats that have decimated bird populations on other islands.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
Flash floods roared through Texas Hill Country before dawn on Friday, decimating landscape near the river and leaving more than 80 dead and dozens unaccounted for.
—Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025
That’s the case of some Hawaiian palms sent to San Diego because they are being decimated in the wild by an invasive bug.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
That’s due in large part to the uninhabited status of the island, strict conservation protections and the absence of invasive species like rats or cats that have decimated bird populations on other islands.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimate
Verb
-
In return, he was allowed to effectively destroy a nature site of great conservation value.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
-
Trump also is destroying the Games’ potential upside.—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Today, disaster seekers pack tours through New Orleans neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina two decades ago, and visitors continue to flock to Galveston to see the legacy of a hurricane that killed thousands more than a century earlier.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers
July 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 July 2025
-
Not only has its air defense infrastructure suffered badly in the confrontations with Israel, but its regional proxies and allies – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria – have either been devastated by Israel or collapsed altogether.—
Linggong Kong,
The Conversation,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
20 July 2025
-
Nothing ruins the vibe of a beautiful backyard faster than dull, discolored patio furniture that’s more of an eyesore than an inviting lounge spot.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 July 2025
Verb
-
The kids division, ages 5 to 11, was tasked with demolishing a singular slice, or one-fourth, of an entire pie.—
Olivia Cyrus
July 23,
Sacbee.com,
24 July 2025
-
That includes plans to demolish the building this summer.—
Tom Daykin,
jsonline.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
Kurt's key takeaways The Elmo hack shattered more than just a cheerful digital persona.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 July 2025
-
That seeming consensus, under sustained attack, was shattered this week.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
The immigration storm is an effective diversion from how Trump’s policies are wrecking the government, jeopardizing the economy and forfeiting America’s respect in the world.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 July 2025
-
Prelim info is stolen Camaro wrecked into a small bus pulling a trailer.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
Kidd, Castagnoli and Yuta took out Ospreay and then smashed his head in between a chair.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
-
With a runner aboard and two outs, Josh Naylor smashed a 105-mph line drive off Kikuchi’s left shoulder, the ball caroming into center field for a single.—
Mike Digiovanna,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share