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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroy
When the Silver Surfer arrives in New York to destroy the final teleportation tower, Johnny plays those traumatic recordings over speakers in Earth-828's version of Times Square, hoping to appeal to her empathy.
—
EW.com, 25 July 2025
Each subsequent move command executed by the AI model overwrote the previous file, ultimately destroying the data.
—ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
The lawsuit alleges that Merit Street’s business partner, Trinity Broadcasting of Fort Worth, destroyed its television network and forced the bankruptcy declaration.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2025
Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim wildfire: National Park Service says only hotel destroyed
The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
EW.com, 25 July 2025
Each subsequent move command executed by the AI model overwrote the previous file, ultimately destroying the data.
—ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
The lawsuit alleges that Merit Street’s business partner, Trinity Broadcasting of Fort Worth, destroyed its television network and forced the bankruptcy declaration.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2025
Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim wildfire: National Park Service says only hotel destroyed
The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
Verb
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Some adults agreed, but others made comments about me ruining the mood.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
20 July 2025
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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
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Photograph by Matt Ramey / Redux Chased by Climate Disaster in North Carolina Just days after floods ravaged Texas, Tropical Storm Chantal dumped ten inches of rain on parts of central North Carolina, closing hundreds of roads and killing several people.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
15 July 2025
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There, the couple encountered stories of e-waste dumps and communities ravaged by global tech’s hidden costs.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
14 July 2025
Verb
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The man accused of pulling the trigger in a Christmas Day shooting that killed two Milwaukee teenagers is no longer on the run.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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The push for tools to address overdoses has taken on more urgency as deaths from synthetic opioids have skyrocketed in Texas and across the U.S. Fentanyl was identified as the likely cause of a surge of 79 overdoses in Austin last spring, which killed nine people.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American Statesman,
23 July 2025
Verb
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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
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That includes plans to demolish the building this summer.—
Tom Daykin,
jsonline.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Meanwhile in the Russian prison, Hopper (David Harbour) slays a full-size demogorgon with a sword.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
16 July 2025
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Among them: The killing of 22-year-old Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was slain last year by a Venezuelan man in the U.S. illegally.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Kurt's key takeaways The Elmo hack shattered more than just a cheerful digital persona.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 July 2025
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That seeming consensus, under sustained attack, was shattered this week.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
18 July 2025
Verb
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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
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Prelim info is stolen Camaro wrecked into a small bus pulling a trailer.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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