destroys

VERB

demolish, devastate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

consume crush damage dismantle end eradicate gut impair kill maim ravage raze ruin sabotage shatter smash wipe out wreck

STRONG

abort annihilate annul axe butcher cream deface desolate despoil dispatch erase exterminate extinguish extirpate level liquidate mar maraud mutilate nuke nullify overturn quash quell ravish slay suppress torpedo total trash vaporize waste wax zap

WEAK

blot out break down lay waste snuff out spoliate stamp out swallow up tear down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist bear begin build construct create fix give birth help lose mend repair start

STRONG

improve keep preserve retain save validate

WEAK

restore

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.

See Examples For:

destroys

Zoe nearly destroys Rushville to save herself, while John almost violates his principles to seize the ring from Hal, per the Guardians’ orders, and take out Zoe.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

"I'm even trembling. The truth is that for those of us from Villena, this destroys us. It's part of our heritage, of our wealth," the mayor said.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

“It destroys almost any aspect of a girl’s life and it doesn’t deliver any benefit,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

During a crisis, support is often essential to prevent a downward spiral that destroys the financial system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

Watching this simple act of love destroys me.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed