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
Fire started in a part of the warehouse at the Farm Feed manufacturing facility Friday night and destroyed the building.
—
Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Healthcare, educational system, housing—all destroyed.
—Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The video was released Sunday by a law firm representing a woman whose house was destroyed by the fire and is suing Southern California Edison, the primary electrical utility for Los Angeles.
—Michelle Watson, CNN, 27 Jan. 2025
By the time the show opened on Friday, the Eaton Fire, which is now 95 percent contained, had burned over 14,000 acres and destroyed over 9,000 structures in Altadena, Pasadena, and other areas nearby.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for destroy 
Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Healthcare, educational system, housing—all destroyed.
—Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The video was released Sunday by a law firm representing a woman whose house was destroyed by the fire and is suing Southern California Edison, the primary electrical utility for Los Angeles.
—Michelle Watson, CNN, 27 Jan. 2025
By the time the show opened on Friday, the Eaton Fire, which is now 95 percent contained, had burned over 14,000 acres and destroyed over 9,000 structures in Altadena, Pasadena, and other areas nearby.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for destroy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy
Verb
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The film ends with Ross going full Red Hulk in the White House Rose Garden (oops), nearly ruining his legacy (Sterns’ real prize) and ultimately forcing him to admit his wrongdoing, give up his office, and head to The Raft to serve an undetermined amount of time in the floating prison.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 Feb. 2025
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Ancient people weren't about to let these pests ruin their crops or their lives.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Syria, totally ravaged by war, needs an entirely new political settlement.—
Maha Yahya,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Feb. 2025
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Activists and health workers have spent many years building trust in communities ravaged by HIV, fighting shame and stigma to bring the pandemic out of the shadows.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
The Christian Science Monitor,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The dismissals come less than three weeks after a midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter killed 67 people and brought new scrutiny to air traffic controllers and their workloads.—
Joey Garrison,
USA TODAY,
18 Feb. 2025
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Meanwhile, in Atlanta, one person was killed after a tree fell on a home, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Scott Powell.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Crimson Tide have won their last seven games, most recently demolishing Texas 103-80 on Tuesday.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
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While exploring the basement of a building slated to be demolished for the upcoming office tower, the scientists unearthed the remains of what once served as the foundation of a two-story building, nearly as large as an Olympic swimming pool.—
Sophia Compton,
Fox News,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Friends began to worry, and then were devastated by the news, KATV reported.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
6 Feb. 2025
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As the fires devastated the city, some of the first aid administered to Los Angeles was provided by chefs and restaurants.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Kennedy Center, named after slain former President John F. Kennedy, was the brain-child of Kennedy's predecessor, Dwight Eisenhower, according to the center's website.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA TODAY,
15 Feb. 2025
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The Ethiopian crosses symbolize eternal life and connection, and given that a sanctuary is a place for refuge and safety and holiness, Makonnen’s artwork provides some semblance of that for the spirits of the fallen and slain after their lives have ended.—
Shantay Robinson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In Mexico, a period of relative calm was shattered with the killing of five journalists as gangs and political groups clashed ahead of the June 2024 election.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
12 Feb. 2025
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Officers recovered 15 9 mm shell casings from a Jan. 28 afternoon skirmish involving four people in a store parking lot in the 8300 block of Roberts Road that sprayed bullets into a car, shattering the rear windshield and flattening two tires, police said.—
Dennis Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
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There's little doubt about next week being a 'climate emergency' with extreme cold—perhaps historical—wrecking the central United States.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
13 Feb. 2025
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The powerful storm wrecked Tropicana Field, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays, rendering the stadium unplayable for this season and possibly longer.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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