as in vandals
a person who destroys or damages something deliberately; a person who performs sabotage
The car's tires were slashed by saboteurs.
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Recent Examples of saboteurs
Sharaa, who has signed a five-year transitional document that serves as a de facto constitution, seems aware of the risks and has thus far been able to outflank his potential rivals and saboteurs, keeping his country out of the ongoing regional war.
—
Alvaro Vargas Llosa, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
Team players can win more often than saboteurs.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Ukraine has denied involvement in damage to one of the pipelines, but investigators in Germany have said the saboteurs were Ukrainian.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
Inviting in such resolute saboteurs, these institutions repel many in their core audience.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
These include restrictions on the Internet and social media and surveillance measures intended to root out spies and saboteurs.
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2025
Fortunately for all the people who want to keep their money and the integrity of their elections safe from cybercriminals and political saboteurs, there’s been a breakthrough.
—New Atlas, 15 Nov. 2025
By hinting that his business was the victim of shape-shifting saboteurs, Westergaard distracted from the more prosaic story about the carelessness of his staff.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
But hidden away in a secret HQ, a group of celebrity saboteurs are watching their every move, carrying out missions designed to disrupt their success.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
Alvaro Vargas Llosa, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
Team players can win more often than saboteurs.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Ukraine has denied involvement in damage to one of the pipelines, but investigators in Germany have said the saboteurs were Ukrainian.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
Inviting in such resolute saboteurs, these institutions repel many in their core audience.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
These include restrictions on the Internet and social media and surveillance measures intended to root out spies and saboteurs.
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2025
Fortunately for all the people who want to keep their money and the integrity of their elections safe from cybercriminals and political saboteurs, there’s been a breakthrough.
—New Atlas, 15 Nov. 2025
By hinting that his business was the victim of shape-shifting saboteurs, Westergaard distracted from the more prosaic story about the carelessness of his staff.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
But hidden away in a secret HQ, a group of celebrity saboteurs are watching their every move, carrying out missions designed to disrupt their success.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saboteurs
vandals
Noun
-
Those who refused to disperse, including vandals, were arrested following warnings.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Windows on vacant buildings were scratched by vandals.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Saboteurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saboteurs. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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