DESTROY Synonyms: 203 Similar and Opposite Words

destroy

verb

di-ˈstrȯi

Definition of destroy

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in to kill

to deprive of life regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of destroy Joseph said he was repeatedly kicked and struck by rocks during the assault while his attackers also tried to destroy his camera. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to destroy all homes in villages near the border. — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 Looped Transformers are just one of several new architectures researchers are considering to make AI models more efficient but which can destroy all or some of a model’s chain of thought. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 The fire has destroyed more than 150 structures, including 18 homes. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for destroy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroy

Verb

The fight between a small Georgia community and tech giant Meta has escalated this week after four families filed a lawsuit against the company alleging a central Georgia data center project has contaminated their water and ruined their home values.

— Irene Wright, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Gen, forgetting her swollen wrist, perks up at the thought of having a new person to ruin sheets with.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

The portable machine uses pulses of full-spectrum ultraviolet light to kill infectious germs inside hospital rooms.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Clancy is a Massachusetts woman who has been on trial for killing her three children and attempting to take her own life in 2023.

— Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of kill

Verb

Rescue crews and foreign specialists are racing to find scores of workers feared trapped alive inside hydropower tunnels in Nepal, after thick mud buried the facilities during last week’s devastating flash floods.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Travelers hoping to visit the Grand Canyon in coming days may want to adjust their plans after devastating flash flooding that has left at least two people dead and more than a dozen others missing.

— Eve Chen, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of devastate

Verb

For the same price, fans can purchase a Sean Taylor T-Shirt with the likeness of the former safety in his Redskins uniform before he was tragically slain in 2007.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Amber Gates, the mother of slain inmate Charles Gates, 27, alleges CoreCivic employees failed in their duty to keep prisoners safe.

— Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of slay

Verb

As dark occurrences begin to shatter the quiet of their isolated home, the boy is forced to navigate a harrowing psychological nightmare where the line between real-world madness and supernatural terror blurs.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Both Russia and China have tested missiles that destroy satellites; a Russian test in 2021 shattered an inactive satellite into more than a thousand pieces.

— Jeffrey Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of shatter

Verb

The violent swings that powered his game, launching golf balls far beyond his competitors, also wrecked his back and knees.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
An eight-game lead with 25 games left is a virtual lock for Brewers manager Pat Murphy and his wrecking crew, as even optimistic Cubs fans understand.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of wreck

Browse Nearby Words

de-stressing

destroy

destroyed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of destroy

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes