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.

Kuchipudi emphasized that pasteurization effectively destroys the virus, highlighting the importance of avoiding raw milk.

From Science Daily • Jun. 23, 2026

And then there’s Javert—an armed agent of the state whose monomaniacal focus on bringing Valjean to “justice” ultimately destroys his life.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

And having to do a stop-and-go, sort of stop and wait for five, 10 seconds, whatever people got, it destroys you on a track so short as well, your chances.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

The progressive disease destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that a person needs to walk, talk, swallow and breathe, according to the ALS Assn.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Ebola destroys the brain more thoroughly than does Marburg, and Ebola victims often go into epileptic convulsions during the final stage.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston