destroy

verb

de·​stroy di-ˈstrȯi How to pronounce destroy (audio)
dē-
destroyed; destroying; destroys

transitive verb

1
: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of
destroyed the files
also : to ruin as if by tearing to shreds
their reputation was destroyed
a disease that destroys the body's ability to fight off illness
destroyed any hope of a return to past crackdowns … George Brock
2
a
: to put out of existence : kill
destroy an injured horse
b
: neutralize
the moon destroys the light of the stars
c
: annihilate, vanquish
… marines have been trained to close with and destroy the enemy. That's what we do.Stephen W. Larose

intransitive verb

: to cause ruin or destruction
It is proverbially easier to destroy than to construct …T. S. Eliot

Examples of destroy in a Sentence

Eventually our problems with money destroyed our marriage. All the files were deliberately destroyed. The disease destroys the body's ability to fight off illness. The bomb blast destroyed the village. The dog had to be destroyed since its owner could not prevent it from attacking people.
Recent Examples on the Web The ruling quickly opened to the door to wide-ranging concerns among doctors and IVF patients that they could be held liable for destroying frozen embryos, either by accident or as part of the normal course of IVF treatment. Kim Bellware, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 And two Israeli strikes southwest of Deir al-Balah killed at least five people and destroyed an aid truck, according to witnesses and staff at the hospital. Tia Goldenberg, arkansasonline.com, 4 Mar. 2024 The cancer grows quickly and can impact and destroy healthy tissue. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Thousands of cattle killed in fires In addition to damaging structures and destroying miles of land, the fires have also killed thousands of cattle, officials said this week. USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 Keeler: Nuggets star Jamal Murray could destroy LeBron James’ record-setting night. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2024 Topline The second-largest wildfire in U.S. history will likely grow through the weekend as the Texas Panhandle experiences warm, dry weather, the National Weather Service warned Saturday, after hundreds of structures were destroyed this week while the blaze threatens thousands of livestock. Ty Roush, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Large fires broke out in Wajima overnight, destroying homes that had not already been hit by the initial earthquake. USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Hilary damaged or destroyed at least 87 homes across the Baja California peninsula. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'destroy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French destroy-, destrui-, stem of destrure, from Vulgar Latin *destrugere, alteration of Latin destruere, from de- + struere to build — more at structure

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of destroy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near destroy

Cite this Entry

“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destroy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

destroy

verb
de·​stroy di-ˈstrȯi How to pronounce destroy (audio)
1
: to put an end to : do away with : ruin
2

More from Merriam-Webster on destroy

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