destroys

VERB

demolish, devastate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

consume crush damage dismantle end eradicate gut impair kill maim ravage raze ruin sabotage shatter smash 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.

See Examples For:

destroys

"Climate change is what kills, what destroys our villages and our natural and cultural heritage," civil protection chief Virginia Barcones told Spanish radio.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

That’s because if the deal goes through it stands a good chance to fail — failure in this case meaning that the combined company destroys more shareholder value than it creates.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

Destinus, which specializes in strike and air-defense systems, will lead the consortium and bear responsibility for the kill vehicle, the component that destroys ballistic missiles in space.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Another type of immune cell, known as T cells, then seeks out and destroys cells carrying those proteins.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026

“Yes, that certainly changes my mind. Of course I want to live with an animal that eats all my food and destroys my kitchen.”

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth