destroyverb [ T ]
uk/dɪˈstrɔɪ/us/dɪˈstrɔɪ/B1 to damage something so badly that it cannot be used:
Most of the old part of the city was destroyed by bombs during the war.
The accident seemed to have completely/totally destroyed his confidence.
to kill an animal because it is ill, in pain, or dangerous
More examples
- These guns will destroy or disable any incoming missile.
- Many important historical documents were destroyed in the fire.
- In 1906 an earthquake destroyed much of San Francisco.
- A bomb fell on the church and destroyed it.
- Deforestation is destroying large areas of tropical rain forest.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Destroying and demolishing
- annihilate
- apocalypse
- be sacrificed on the altar of sth idiom
- blast
- blast/blow sb/sth to kingdom come idiom
- costly
- fall in
- kill sth off
- kill the goose that lays the golden egg idiom
- knock
- knock sth down
- sacrifice
- sink
- stave
- stave sth in
- take sb/sth out
- tear 1
- tear sth apart
- tear sth down
- wipe
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Zoology: veterinary medicine
Killing