destruction

[dih-struhk-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of destroying.

   wanton destruction of a town.

2. the condition of being destroyed; demolition; annihilation.

3. a cause or means of destroying.

destruction

/ dɪˈstrʌkʃən /

noun

1. the act of destroying or state of being destroyed; demolition

2. a cause of ruin or means of destroying

Other Word Forms

• nondestruction noun
• predestruction noun
• semidestruction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of destruction¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Latin dēstructiōn- (stem of dēstructiō ), equivalent to dēstruct(us) (past participle of dēstruere; destroy ) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of destruction¹

C14: from Latin dēstructiō a pulling down; see _destroy

Synonym Study

See ruin.

Example Sentences

The destruction is not only confined to the capital Kathmandu - at least 300 local government offices across the nation have been damaged.

From BBC

Israel's offensive is gathering pace, with air strikes and the destruction of many buildings, including high rises that are symbols of Gaza City, which the IDF calls Hamas "terror towers".

From BBC

The IDF statement continued: "The destruction of civilian property by soldiers is contrary to IDF values. As a rule, incidents that deviate from IDF orders and values will be examined, investigated, and addressed by commanders."

From BBC

It’s a movie that tackles what it means for young people to volunteer for organized barbarism out of desperate need — as well as the consumption of their destruction as entertainment.

From Los Angeles Times

UN Secretary General António Guterres recently declared "the levels of death and destruction in Gaza are without parallel in recent times".

From BBC

Related Words

• annihilation 
• carnage 
• elimination 
• eradication 
• extermination www.thesaurus.com
• extinction 
• loss 
• massacre 
• murder 
• ruin 
• slaughter