destroyer
Americannoun
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a person or thing that destroys.
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a fast, relatively small, warship armed mainly with 5-inch (13-centimeter) guns.
noun
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a small fast lightly armoured but heavily armed warship
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a person or thing that destroys
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 U.S. military had taken seriously the risk of an Iranian missile strike and had positioned a guided-missile destroyer near the base, U.S. officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026
A Type 45 destroyer, HMS Dragon, has been deployed to the region but will not be ready to leave Portsmouth until next week.
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026
Then an RAF base in Cyprus came under Iranian drone attack anyway, so Mr. Starmer deployed a Royal Navy destroyer to defend it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
For a while it had a clipper bow and a fantail like a destroyer.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
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.
