1
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the violent storm resulted in the destruction of their tree house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
alcohol will be her destruction if we don't intervene to help her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of destruction
Looting and destruction were reported at multiple convenience shops and a local Macy's department store.
—
Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 18 Jan. 2025
Watch aftermath of Starship explosion Elon Musk calls explosion entertaining
SpaceX Founder and CEO Elon Musk addressed the destruction of the Starship on his social media platform X, accompanied by a video of the stunning display.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
And yet, scads of commenters openly cheered the destruction.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
Elsewhere in Altadena, farther up the hill near where the Eaton fire started, flames jumped several lines of homes and left most of them intact in a pattern of brutal and random destruction.
—Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for destruction 
Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 18 Jan. 2025
Watch aftermath of Starship explosion Elon Musk calls explosion entertaining
SpaceX Founder and CEO Elon Musk addressed the destruction of the Starship on his social media platform X, accompanied by a video of the stunning display.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
And yet, scads of commenters openly cheered the destruction.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Jan. 2025
Elsewhere in Altadena, farther up the hill near where the Eaton fire started, flames jumped several lines of homes and left most of them intact in a pattern of brutal and random destruction.
—Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for destruction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destruction
Noun
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The giant's downfall, which shook consumer and investor confidence, reflected system issues in the entire sector.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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Hurts threw six interceptions during that 1-6 downfall within a convoluted system Sirianni admitted grew stale.—
Brooks Kubena,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Eoghan O’Connell’s role in both Shrewsbury goals was high on most culpability lists, as was a distinct lack of creativity in midfield and a failure to pose any kind of threat down the left side when Ryan Barnett was causing havoc down the opposite flank.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
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Walker thinks people may now be more receptive to her message, given the devastating wildfires that have wrought havoc on Los Angeles itself the past week.—
Jocelyn Noveck,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The aftershocks of the Vietnam War and the ruination of family legacy also came into play in Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).—
Richard Newby,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Oct. 2024
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Athens used its financial power to abuse its allies and in doing so precipitated its own ruination.—
Henry Farrell,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Jan. 2020
Noun
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But that all changed a few years ago when St. Petersburg foreclosed over unpaid property liens stemming from the house demolition and maintenance.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
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The house lost 10 to 20 additional feet over the last few months, resulting in a demolition order from the town.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Charging someone with causing a death, however, has proved tricky at times.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
16 Jan. 2025
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Rendered with all of the rich detail and disarming atmospherics that have characterized his work to date, Nosferatu is Eggers at the height of his powers: an astonishing, meticulously crafted, and oddly touching parable about desire, disease, and death.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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For example, the woolly mammoth, the Tasmanian tiger and the dodo were driven to extinction by human activities.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
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What does all this have to do with life today, when big cats are headed toward extinction and meat comes on Styrofoam trays?—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
The New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Lopetegui’s inability to create a harmonious dressing room was his undoing.—
Roshane Thomas,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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However, his loyalty eventually led to his undoing.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Games to Watch Classical Magnet (10-1) at Innovation (12-1), Tuesday, 7 p.m.: Innovation’s only loss came to Cheney Tech in overtime on Dec. 21; Classical’s only loss was to SMSA on Dec. 26.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
27 Jan. 2025
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First of all, Mark was not the only one responsible for the loss.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to destruction
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Cite this Entry
“Destruction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destruction. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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