Destruction is the act of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed.
...an international agreement aimed at halting the destruction of the ozone layer.
...weapons of mass destruction.
More Synonyms of destruction
destruction in British English
(dɪˈstrʌkʃən)
noun
1.
the act of destroying or state of being destroyed; demolition
2.
a cause of ruin or means of destroying
Word origin
C14: from Latin dēstructiō a pulling down; see destroy
destruction in American English
(dɪˈstrʌkʃən)
noun
1.
the act or process of destroying; demolition or slaughter
2.
the fact or state of being destroyed
3.
the cause or means of destroying
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈruin
Word origin
ME destruccioun < OFr destruction < L destructio < destructus, pp. of destruere: see destroy
Examples of 'destruction' in a sentence
destruction
They have caused massive death and destruction over the years.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The creative destruction that is at the heart of a growing economy is now seen as evil.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
What follows is a description of some of the processes in the destruction of ozone layer.
Radford, Tim & Leggett, Jeremy The Crisis of Life on Earth - our legacy from the second millenium (1990)
That is a road to total destruction.
The Sun (2015)
This process can continue forming a long chain that causes destruction at each step.
Holford, Patrick The Family Nutrition Workbook (1988)
They are destruction and death or love and healing.
Siegel, Bernie S. (MD) Love, Medicine and Miracles (1990)
Creative destruction is spreading from blue collar to white collar.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This might lessen the ozone destruction while adding to the burden of acid rain.
Radford, Tim & Leggett, Jeremy The Crisis of Life on Earth - our legacy from the second millenium (1990)
One for those who like a challenge and total destruction when they drive.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The destruction caused by the war was enormous.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
The death and destruction you are responsible for has caused untold distress.
The Sun (2014)
Creative destruction and innovation had changed business out of all recognition.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Lower temperatures there increase the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Its total destruction is not a moral imperative for the human race.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It has fuelled death and destruction without a foreseeable end in sight.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Capitalism is a sustained process of creative destruction.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Keeping the world from being destroyed by weapons of mass destruction means getting to the point where we abolish war itself.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
No amount of noise insulation can protect the Chilterns from the environmental destruction we are facing.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But the environmental destruction was still taking place, before our very eyes.
Aidan Hartley THE ZANZIBAR CHEST: A Memoir of Love and War (2003)
The weapons of mass destruction programme is not shut down; it is up and running now.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The job has its pressures, most notably the prospect of launching weapons of mass destruction.
Christianity Today (2000)
We have still to absorb that second lesson as humanity rushes headlong into unthinking and reckless environmental destruction of our one and only planet.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
destruction
British English: destruction /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/ NOUN
Destruction is the act of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed.
...the destruction of the ozone layer.
American English: destruction
Arabic: تَدْمِير
Brazilian Portuguese: destruição
Chinese: 毁灭
Croatian: uništenje
Czech: zničení
Danish: ødelæggelse
Dutch: verwoesting
European Spanish: destrucción
Finnish: tuho
French: destruction
German: Zerstörung
Greek: καταστροφή
Italian: distruzione
Japanese: 破壊
Korean: 파괴
Norwegian: ødeleggelse
Polish: zniszczenie
European Portuguese: destruição
Romanian: distrugere
Russian: разрушение
Latin American Spanish: destrucción
Swedish: förstörelse
Thai: การทำลาย
Turkish: imha
Ukrainian: знищення
Vietnamese: sự phá hủy
All related terms of 'destruction'
mass destruction
death or injury on a large scale , esp as caused by nuclear or biological weapons
self-destruction
the act or an instance of self-destructing
mutual assured destruction
mutual deterrence between countries possessing nuclear weapons , based on the capacity of each to inflict major damage on the other in response to a first strike
mutually assured destruction
mutual deterrence between countries possessing nuclear weapons , based on the capacity of each to inflict major damage on the other in response to a first strike
weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction are biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons.
Chinese translation of 'destruction'
destruction
(dɪsˈtrʌkʃən)
n(u)
(= act of destroying) 破坏(壞) (pòhuài)
(= state of being destroyed) 毁(毀)灭(滅) (huǐmiè)
1 (noun)
Definition
the act of destroying something or state of being destroyed
the extensive destruction caused by the rioters
Synonyms
ruin
It is the ruin of society.
havoc
Rioters caused havoc in the centre of the town.
wreckage
Mark was dragged from the burning wreckage of his car.
crushing
wrecking
shattering
undoing
demolition
the total demolition of the old bridge
devastation
A huge bomb blast brought devastation to the centre of the city.
annihilation
ruination
2 (noun)
Definition
the act of destroying something or state of being destroyed
Our objective was the destruction of the enemy forces.
Synonyms
massacre
She lost her mother in the massacre.
slaughter
The annual slaughter of wildlife is horrific.
overwhelming
overthrow
They were charged with plotting the overthrow of the state.
extinction
Many species have been hunted to the point of extinction.
end
Soon after we spoke to him, he met a violent end.
downfall
His lack of experience led to his downfall.
liquidation
obliteration
the obliteration of an entire city
extermination
annihilation
Political leaders fear the annihilation of their people.
eradication
We are dedicated to the total eradiction of inequality.
3 (noun)
the destruction of animals infected with foot-and-mouth disease
Synonyms
slaughter
slaughtering
putting down
termination
extermination
the extermination of thousands of innocent people
putting to sleep
Additional synonyms
in the sense of annihilation
Political leaders fear the annihilation of their people.
Synonyms
destruction,
wiping out,
abolition,
extinction,
extinguishing,
liquidation,
rooting out,
extermination,
eradication,
erasure,
obliteration,
nullification,
extirpation (formal)
in the sense of demolition
the total demolition of the old bridge
Synonyms
knocking down,
levelling,
destruction,
explosion,
wrecking,
tearing down,
bulldozing,
razing
in the sense of devastation
A huge bomb blast brought devastation to the centre of the city.