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Synonyms

destroyer

American  
[dih-stroi-er] / dɪˈstrɔɪ ər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that destroys.

  2. a fast, relatively small, warship armed mainly with 5-inch (13-centimeter) guns.

destroyer British  
/ dɪˈstrɔɪə /

noun

  1. a small fast lightly armoured but heavily armed warship

  2. a person or thing that destroys

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • self-destroyer noun

Etymology

Origin of destroyer

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English destroiere (compare Old French destruiere ); destroy, -er 1

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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 Royal Navy destroyer, HMS Dragon, is now providing additional air defences operating off the coast of Cyprus.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

The government has since dispatched HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, to the region to protect the base, as part of wider defensive efforts.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

North Korea also recently carried out missile tests from the naval Choe Hyon destroyer, claiming the country was in the process of "arming the Navy with nuclear weapons".

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

That rebel group put heavy pressure on U.S. forces and aircraft carriers, contributing to a number of accidents, including one where a U.S. destroyer shot down an American jet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Navy destroyer and two coast guard cutters had taken up positions among the usual flotilla of yachts, sailboats, launches, dinghies, and canoes assembling near the finish line.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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.