destroy

verb

de·​stroy di-ˈstrȯi How to pronounce destroy (audio)
dē-
destroyed; destroying; destroys

transitive verb

1
: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of
destroyed the files
also : to ruin as if by tearing to shreds
their reputation was destroyed
a disease that destroys the body's ability to fight off illness
destroyed any hope of a return to past crackdowns … George Brock
2
a
: to put out of existence : kill
destroy an injured horse
b
: neutralize
the moon destroys the light of the stars
c
: annihilate, vanquish
… marines have been trained to close with and destroy the enemy. That's what we do.Stephen W. Larose

intransitive verb

: to cause ruin or destruction
It is proverbially easier to destroy than to construct …T. S. Eliot

Examples of destroy in a Sentence

Eventually our problems with money destroyed our marriage. All the files were deliberately destroyed. The disease destroys the body's ability to fight off illness. The bomb blast destroyed the village. The dog had to be destroyed since its owner could not prevent it from attacking people.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The video was released Sunday by a law firm representing a woman whose house was destroyed by the fire and is suing Southern California Edison, the primary electrical utility for Los Angeles. Michelle Watson, CNN, 27 Jan. 2025 By the time the show opened on Friday, the Eaton Fire, which is now 95 percent contained, had burned over 14,000 acres and destroyed over 9,000 structures in Altadena, Pasadena, and other areas nearby. Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 27 Jan. 2025 Beyond was the city of Los Angeles and, in the distance, the shimmering coast, where the Palisades Fire had killed at least ten and destroyed thousands of buildings. M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 The wildfires that burned through much of Los Angeles County earlier this month wreaked havoc across the region, burning down entire neighborhoods and destroying more than 17,000 structures, many of which were homes. Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for destroy 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French destroy-, destrui-, stem of destrure, from Vulgar Latin *destrugere, alteration of Latin destruere, from de- + struere to build — more at structure

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of destroy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near destroy

Cite this Entry

“Destroy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destroy. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

destroy

verb
de·​stroy di-ˈstrȯi How to pronounce destroy (audio)
1
: to put an end to : do away with : ruin
2

More from Merriam-Webster on destroy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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