1
as in ruining
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 ravaging
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 killing
to deprive of life
regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destroying
It was compounded when a West Contra Costa storage unit caught fire, destroying Alvin’s belongings, their mother testified.
—
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Truly domesticating bees required a hive with movable frames, one that would allow beekeepers to examine their bees and harvest honey without destroying the colony.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
With its pollution, its platforms, its roads, Gran Tierra is destroying them.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Attacks could be thwarted by jamming or converting drone remote control signals, interfering with their control panels, and damaging or destroying the drones.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 27 May 2026
Obsession shows how Bear’s selfish wish removes Nikki’s agency and backfires horribly, destroying his life and eroding Nikki’s sense of self.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The blaze, later determined to be a rekindling of a week-old fire, swiftly spread out of control, destroying more than 6,800 structures in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and nearby areas.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
The former reality star became emotional again when mentioning Koda destroying a rug along with her former dog's bed, a German shepherd named Nanuq that died in December.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026
The tree landed squarely on his art studio, destroying it.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Truly domesticating bees required a hive with movable frames, one that would allow beekeepers to examine their bees and harvest honey without destroying the colony.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
With its pollution, its platforms, its roads, Gran Tierra is destroying them.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Attacks could be thwarted by jamming or converting drone remote control signals, interfering with their control panels, and damaging or destroying the drones.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 27 May 2026
Obsession shows how Bear’s selfish wish removes Nikki’s agency and backfires horribly, destroying his life and eroding Nikki’s sense of self.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The blaze, later determined to be a rekindling of a week-old fire, swiftly spread out of control, destroying more than 6,800 structures in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and nearby areas.
—Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
The former reality star became emotional again when mentioning Koda destroying a rug along with her former dog's bed, a German shepherd named Nanuq that died in December.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026
The tree landed squarely on his art studio, destroying it.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroying
Verb
-
Undefeated this season on clay, the 15th-seeded Ukrainian player reached the quarterfinals at the French Open for the first time on Sunday by taking out four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 and ruining her birthday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
Here's how to identify black spot and prevent it from ruining your roses.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2026
Verb
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And with injuries ravaging Canada’s back line, Sigur has the quality to quickly become an important part of their World Cup.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
In the penultimate episode, a fire at the Pineville Dam spiraled out of control, ravaging the infrastructure and causing the dam to break.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
-
Basically, tick tubes are cardboard tubes that have been filled with cotton that’s been treated with permethrin, a tick-killing chemical.—
Molly Burford,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Those teams already are wrecking the owners’ claims that baseball lacks competitive balance.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
Junk yards and auto wrecking services will soon be paying $354 instead of $273 for their new license, and secondhand dealers will see reduced fees — paying $354 instead of $480.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
The carp have already shifted Mississippi River ecosystems by crowding out native fish, devastating some areas.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion was created in response to two gunmen allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group slaying 15 people at a Sydney Hanukkah celebration in December.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
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The two children the fugitive father spirited away to Mexico after Bravo’s slaying nearly two years ago are safe in Sacramento County with their maternal grandmother, said Sacramento and federal authorities at a news conference Tuesday in downtown Sacramento.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The plan involves demolishing the building and constructing a near-replica on the same Beatties Ford Road footprint.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
-
Indeed, back in the 1990s and 2000s, municipalities across the country were happily demolishing Brutalist eyesores made to house the poor.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Those strikes heavily damaged the bases, burying most tunnel entrances under mountains of debris and shattering roads leading to the sites.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
-
As the pattern settled in, summer heat finally arrived across the northern tier, shattering nearly 50 records, with temperatures up to 20 degrees above average, Fox Weather reported.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destroying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroying. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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