sabotage 1 of 2

noun

Definition of sabotagenext
as in destruction
the act of destroying or damaging something deliberately so that it does not work correctly Angry workers were responsible for the sabotage of the machines. Officials have not yet ruled out sabotage as a possible cause of the crash.

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sabotage

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to thwart

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2
as in to destroy

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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 sabotage
Noun
European officials have accused Russia of waging a campaign of hybrid warfare involving sabotage, arson and cyberattacks, alongside increasingly provocative military activity near NATO territory. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 The odds are not in her favor, owing as much to the industry’s profound systemic inequities as to Misty’s own penchant for self-sabotage. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
Trump was furious, believing that Israel was trying to sabotage the talks. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, the megalomaniac Esmeralda, still delusionally kooky, spends less time trying to sabotage Ned and more time getting sent on side quests — an attempt to create her own big puzzle game, a journey undercover at her son’s school. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sabotage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabotage
  1. destruction
  2. thwart
  3. destroy
  4. wrecking
  5. frustrate
  6. ruin
  7. foil
  8. wreck
Noun
  • The end of saving money and raising middle-class wages justifies the means, namely, the destruction of immigrant families.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The destruction releases vast stores of carbon, adding to climate change that is already contributing to drought and forest fires across the tropics.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of destruction
Verb
  • Scott McNutt of Robbinsville, New Jersey, argues that the ban, which was put in place to thwart tax evasion, is unconstitutional.
    — Gretchen Reynolds, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Katie’s out here trying to get people to vote for Michael at the roundtable in order to thwart Victor’s plans to get Tomica out.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of thwart
Verb
  • Rather than undertaking the difficult but just and moral work of reform of the nation's immigration laws, Vance would destroy and expel their families with a smile, claiming that such actions will save you money.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Running low on fuel, NASA chose to steer Cassini straight into Saturn's atmosphere, where the spacecraft was destroyed.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of destroy
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Definition of wrecking
Verb
  • Since then, Qatar has been frustrated by allegations leveled by Israeli political leaders that its payments to Gaza had helped finance the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Wright acknowledged that people are frustrated with the additional costs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrate
Verb
  • Artificial, though, ends with a scene that convincingly conveys the extent to which AI will ruin all our lives.
    — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Civic, before it was smashed and ruined, had been a private world, an extension of myself.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • The goal came some 40 seconds after Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight kicked out his left pad to foil Neal Pionk's attempt to convert Mark Scheifele's cross-ice pass on a two-on-one break.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • After building an action camera capable of tracking speedy cyclists and skiers, HoverAir decided to tackle a foe that had foiled other consumer drone manufacturers.
    — Max Cea, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of foil
Verb
  • The story centers on an influencer whose life is wrecked by an online pile-on.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • If checking your score reliably wrecks your morning, the device isn’t working for you.
    — J. David Creswell, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of wreck

Browse Nearby Words

sables
sabotage
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Cite this Entry

“Sabotage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabotage. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sabotage

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sabotage

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