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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decimate
These butterflies utilize cole crop foliage for laying eggs, out of which hatch voracious larvae that decimate the foliage and put an end to your fantasies about a hefty cole crop harvest.
—
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 29 Aug. 2025
The animal was once widespread, but logging in old-growth and coniferous forests decimated their habitats.
—Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
Layoffs and departures have decimated key parts of the publication; Vanity Fair still has no managing editor and no full-time social media staff.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2025
As injuries decimated the Yankees’ rotation this spring, Cam Schlittler seized an opportunity to impress.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 29 Aug. 2025
The animal was once widespread, but logging in old-growth and coniferous forests decimated their habitats.
—Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
Layoffs and departures have decimated key parts of the publication; Vanity Fair still has no managing editor and no full-time social media staff.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2025
As injuries decimated the Yankees’ rotation this spring, Cam Schlittler seized an opportunity to impress.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimate
Verb
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Acosta allowed it, and IMG destroyed them.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Later, Howard calls Matt and agrees to cut the sequence but also threatens to destroy him.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The disaster is remembered not just for its winds, but for the crushing surge of water that devastated rural Louisiana parishes and tore through the heart of New Orleans.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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The children were among the 27 campers and counselors who died at the Christian all-girls’ camp during the flooding that caused the Guadalupe River to rise to historic levels, devastating the Texas Hill Country.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To avoid the busiest times, try to visit the wall and the main church ruins early in the morning or later in the afternoon when most tour groups have moved on.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Helene cost him less than 10 percent of that collection, thousands of seeds ruined when his freezers lost power and frost melted.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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About 90% of the former Spring Hill Mall is gone and work demolishing the final anchor store set to begin in the next couple of weeks, officials said.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Sep. 2025
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If the city officially adds the structures to the dangerous buildings list, an inspector will issue orders to demolish them or repair them.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His staff acknowledged congratulatory comments on social media and posted photos of an encounter with someone whose car window was shattered after refusing to open it.—
Elliot Spagat,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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Jorma Taccone, one part of the comedy trio The Lonely Island, was hospitalized after shattering his pelvis upon falling 20 feet off a ladder at his home.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Jerry Jeudy makes far too much money to wreck possessions with two drops, one that killed a drive and another that resulted in a crushing interception.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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The sophomore, who is the youngest player ever voted captain under coach Jay Norvell, was a one-man wrecking crew against the Huskies with a game-high 13 tackles.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Shoplifting became a political lighting rod, and videos of thieves smashing store windows and grabbing merchandise rocketed across the news and social media as a symbol of a breakdown across cities.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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The forward smashed a strike across the goalkeeper and into the top corner, before wheeling away in emotional celebration.—
Joseph O'Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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