destruction
Americannoun
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the act of destroying.
wanton destruction of a town.
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the condition of being destroyed; demolition; annihilation.
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a cause or means of destroying.
noun
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the act of destroying or state of being destroyed; demolition
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a cause of ruin or means of destroying
Related Words
See ruin.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of destruction
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Latin dēstructiōn- (stem of dēstructiō ), equivalent to dēstruct(us) (past participle of dēstruere; see destroy) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Destruction is damage so bad, things must be replaced, not fixed. Tornadoes often leave a trail of destruction, damaging neighborhoods and knocking down houses. The Latin word destructionem, "a pulling down," is the root of destruction. When destruction strikes, things do get pulled down — from houses in the case of natural disasters or a big display of canned soups in the case of a careless shopper. Sometimes, destruction refers to death, as when critics of war talk about the resulting destruction of human life.
Vocabulary lists containing destruction
Biodiversity and Humans - Middle School and High School
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Biodiversity and Humans - Introductory
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"Fire and Ice"
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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.
During the Cold War and for decades afterward, they focused intensely on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles—high-tech instruments of mass destruction with rare components that were relatively straightforward to trace.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
"These guys are facing, they are facing real, catastrophic destruction to their economy," he said, while adding that Trump still preferred a negotiated deal with Iran.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
Demand losses are expected to deepen to around 5.5 million barrels a day in May, as “demand destruction must scale to prevent the system from hitting operational floors.”
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
Even the Cylons changed their tune as they interfaced with the survivors more frequently, shifting their aim from destruction to occupation.
From Salon • May 5, 2026
From the outside, the palace’s destruction was almost awe inspiring.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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.
