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.

Kuchipudi emphasized that pasteurization effectively destroys the virus, highlighting the importance of avoiding raw milk.

From Science Daily • Jun. 23, 2026

Necrotising fasciitis is a rare but severe bacterial infection that destroys tissue beneath the skin.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

If voluntarily storing information with Google destroys Fourth Amendment protection, he suggested, why would the same logic not apply to email, documents, cloud photographs, or calendars?

From Slate • May 20, 2026

The progressive disease destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that a person needs to walk, talk, swallow and breathe, according to the ALS Assn.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

But dividing by zero destroys the entire framework of mathematics.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife