destroy

[dih-stroi] / dɪˈstrɔɪ /

VERB

demolish, devastate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

consume crush damage dismantle end eradicate gut impair kill maim ravage raze ruin sabotage shatter smash smash-up wipe out wreck

STRONG

abort annihilate annul axe butcher cream deface desolate despoil dispatch erase exterminate extinguish extirpate level liquidate mar maraud mutilate nuke nullify overturn quash quell ravish slay suppress torpedo total trash vaporize waste wax zap

WEAK

blot out break down lay waste snuff out spoliate stamp out swallow up tear down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist bear begin build construct create fix give birth help lose mend repair start

STRONG

improve keep preserve retain save validate

WEAK

restore

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He does not seem to think about the jobs it will destroy, the way it is poisoning creativity or education, the way it warps our shared sense of reality.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Courts have ruled that the doctrine requires private utilities such as Edison to pay for property they destroy, even if they haven’t been found to have acted negligently.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

"The whole of this marine area is a protected zone. To destroy it would be fatal for this region's biodiversity," Emiljona Puja, a finance worker, told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

AI will reorganize the white-collar corporate workforce, not destroy it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

‘I know, it doesn’t seem possible. But Saeunn’s sure of it. So am I. The listener must find the Mountain of the World Spirit -and then, with the Spirit’s help, he must destroy the bear.’

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Vocabulary lists containing destroy

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