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 U.S has a particularly dynamic economy with high rates of job and firm creation and destruction happening at the same time.

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Deforestation "has not meaningfully declined" despite a global pledge to halt forest destruction, but next month's UN climate summit in the Amazon could mark a turning point, experts said Tuesday.

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Mr. Mokyr calls the Industrial Revolution “the mother of all creative destruction.”

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It turns out Israel’s goal was never destruction—it was peace.

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But capitalism—with its continual destruction of old values on behalf of fresh, profitable opportunities—has always meant new rounds of winners and losers in the economy.

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Related Words

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