destroy
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to reduce (an object) to useless fragments, a useless form, or remains, as by rending, burning, or dissolving; injure beyond repair or renewal; demolish; ruin; annihilate.
- Antonyms:
- create
-
to put an end to; extinguish.
- Synonyms:
- uproot, annihilate, extirpate
- Antonyms:
- create
-
to kill; slay.
-
to render ineffective or useless; nullify; neutralize; invalidate.
-
to defeat completely.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to ruin; spoil; render useless
-
to tear down or demolish; break up; raze
-
to put an end to; do away with; extinguish
-
to kill or annihilate
-
to crush, subdue, or defeat
-
(intr) to be destructive or cause destruction
Synonym Usage
Destroy, demolish, raze imply reducing a thing to uselessness. To destroy is to reduce something to nothingness or to take away its powers and functions so that restoration is impossible: Fire destroys a building. Disease destroys tissues. To demolish is to destroy something organized or structured: to demolish a machine. To raze is to level down to the ground: to raze a fortress.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
undestroyedadjective
-
self-destroyedadjective
-
well-destroyedadjective
-
half-destroyedadjective
-
self-destroyingadjective
-
predestroyverb (used with object)
-
destroyableadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have destroyedperfect
-
has destroyedperfect 3rd person singular
-
are destroyingprogressive
-
is destroyingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
has been destroyingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been destroyingperfect progressive
-
am destroyingprogressive 1st person singular
-
destroyssingular 3rd person
-
destroyingparticiple
Past
-
had destroyedperfect
-
had been destroyingperfect progressive
-
was destroyingprogressive singular
-
destroyedsimple
-
were destroyingprogressive plural
-
destroyedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of destroy
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English destroyen, from Old French destruire, from Vulgar Latin dēstrūgere (unattested), for Latin dēstruere ( dē- de- + struere “to pick up, build”)
Explanation
When your little brother breaks your carefully constructed Lego village into its tiny parts, he destroys it. To destroy is to completely demolish. To destroy is the opposite of to construct or to build. When you destroy something, you cause destruction, when you build something, you are involved in its construction. In war, soldiers are sometimes sent on missions to search and destroy. This means their job is to find a target and completely take it out. Destroy doesn't have to be physical though. If you get an F in your math class, that could destroy your dream of going to an Ivy League university and too much criticism can destroy your self-esteem.
Vocabulary lists containing destroy
Beowulf vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Frankenstein"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Workshop 2, Part 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"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
The approach involves collecting a patient's own immune cells, genetically modifying them to recognize cancer, and then returning them to the body to seek out and destroy tumor cells.
From Science Daily • Jun. 2, 2026
“New tariffs or quotas will not redirect demand for quartz. It will destroy it,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
There was no provision to destroy nuclear materials in the sides' memorandum of understanding, the agency reported.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
After Llama’s mom threatens to destroy the whole internet.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
