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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Examples of decimate in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
But that duo found a way (ways?) to decimate the Niners last Sunday.
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Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
This year, 26-foot-high waters no one ever imagined have left things decimated.
—Demarco Williams, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Yes, the Dodgers’ starting pitching staff has been decimated, but the relievers have been outstanding and should have been summoned much earlier.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
In response, Israel launched an operation that has decimated the Gaza Strip, killing more than 42,000 Palestinians and displacing some 90% of its population.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decimate 
Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
This year, 26-foot-high waters no one ever imagined have left things decimated.
—Demarco Williams, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Yes, the Dodgers’ starting pitching staff has been decimated, but the relievers have been outstanding and should have been summoned much earlier.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
In response, Israel launched an operation that has decimated the Gaza Strip, killing more than 42,000 Palestinians and displacing some 90% of its population.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decimate
Verb
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Approximately 40 firefighters responded to the blaze, which was first reported at 11:43 a.m., destroyed one building, damaged at least three others, and downed utility wires along 17th Street.Ryan Macasero, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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The fire destroyed an apartment building near Ammons Street and West 12th Avenue, killing two cats and displacing four people, according to West Metro Fire Rescue.Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2024
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While many athletes would be devastated, Ellis saw it as an opportunity to pursue his original dream: a career in entertainment.Eric Andersson, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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Western North Carolina was devastated by extreme flooding after Hurricane Helene in late September, raising concerns about election access.Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024
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And while that was somewhat true, the film is refreshingly dotted with humor that could have ruined the seriousness of the situation at hand and instead makes these ominous, serious and devout Catholic figureheads feel like real, complicated humans, which only adds to the nuance of the film.Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 24 Oct. 2024
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But not the party atmosphere of today, with some people drinking too much and some obnoxious people ruining it for the majority.Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
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Finally, after 20 years of struggle, protests, court battles and even picketing the home of Warren Buffett, whose company had assumed ownership of the dams, an agreement was reached to demolish the dams.Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
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World & Nation Israeli airstrike demolishes Iranian Consulate in Syria, kills two Iranian generals April 1, 2024 Kamal Adwan and two other nearby hospitals have been hit by Israel several times amid the fighting.Melanie Lidman and Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Similarly, Philadelphia is on the brink of shattering its record for the longest period without rain, reaching 25 days as of Oct. 24.ABC Climate Unit, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2024
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The 2000s had barely begun before 9/11 shattered any further illusions of safety the ’90s had fostered.Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The migration scenes also highlight humanity’s capacity for resilience, with shots of a radical new city that people have built to sustain themselves in a world presumably wrecked by fossil fuels.Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
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One family in Burnsville was one of the many whose homes were wrecked with mud.Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Oct. 2024
Verb
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But by the end of the third quarter, Berkshire Hathaway smashed its previous cash record by selling another quarter of its stake in the tech company, or 100 million shares, bringing its total shares to 300 million, down from 400 million.Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024
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The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint kicked off Saturday’s nine Breeders’ Cup races with a smashing stretch duel and 5-horse blanket finish with longshot Soul of an Angel winning at 19/1 odds.Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decimate. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
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