destroying

verb

present participle of destroy
1
as in ruining
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of they practically destroyed the safe in order to get at the money inside their poor scores on the final exam destroyed any chance they might have had to pass the course

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2
as in ravaging
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action wildfires destroyed thousands of acres in forests across the state

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3
as in killing
to deprive of life regrettably, the veterinarian was forced to destroy the injured horse

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of destroying Gen gets to bust out her flapper dress only to witness the most horrific, awful, potentially career-destroying failure … the caviar, oysters, and bread are all crowded onto the bread plate. — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 The three were accused of destroying property of value less than $1,000. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 In some of China’s most productive regions, water scarcity and water pollution threaten farming; in other areas, torrential rainfall and flooding—made more frequent by climate change—are destroying crops. — Caitlin Welsh, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026 Alcohol metabolizes at a steady rate of roughly one standard dosage per hour, which means the body effectively starts destroying the evidence until a blood sample can be secured. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Plus, transforming swift rivers into stagnant reservoirs alters downstream water temperatures, sediment flow, and oxygen levels, destroying the delicate habitats native fish depend on to survive. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026 The earthquakes left many in the Andean nation unnerved after two back-to-back quakes devastated neighboring Venezuela in late June, destroying hundreds of buildings and killing more than 6,300 people. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 Pressure on drug trafficking may push a group toward gold or extortion without destroying its finances. — Robert Muggah, The Conversation, 10 Aug. 2026 Kuwait said on Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country's north. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destroying
  1. ruining
  2. ravaging
  3. killing
  4. wrecking
  5. devastating
  6. slaying
  7. demolishing
  8. shattering
Verb
  • Picking produce early also prevents wildlife like squirrels and raccoons from ruining your harvests.
    — Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
  • But therein lies the problem with ruining baseball and predicting the World Series in August.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruining
Verb
  • The boy was infected with an ultra-rare amoeba known for ravaging the brain.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Julien De Rosa | Afp | Getty Images Firefighters stand by their vehicle as the battle a forest fire in Saint-Jean-d’Illac, some 30km from Bordeaux, on July 26, 2026 as a wildfire has been ravaging the forest north of the Arcachon Basin (Gironde).
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 27 July 2026
Definition of ravaging
Verb
  • Ukraine launched hundreds of drones across Russia Sunday, killing at least six people in one of Kyiv’s largest aerial attacks of the war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Thompson’s killing outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel ignited a multistate manhunt that ended five days later, when police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, arrested Mangione in a McDonald’s.
    — Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • Come for the timeliness, stay for Cap wrecking a bunch of guys in an elevator.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Long-distance backpacking is having a moment, and readers planning a first thru-hike want to know how to prepare without wrecking their body, their gear budget or their trip.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026
Definition of wrecking
Verb
  • Major hurricanes can cause wind damage ranging from devastating to catastrophic and significant loss of life from their winds alone.
    — Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Lionel Messi has donated €80,000 ($92,200) to the reconstruction efforts of Madrid’s Sierra Oeste region following devastating wildfires in the area.
    — Dan Kilpatrick, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of devastating
Verb
  • The Manson murders spawned at least one copycat slaying in February 1970, The New York Times reported.
    — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Symbolism Historically, dragon-slaying stories portrayed the treasure hoard as the ultimate test of a hero’s character.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
Definition of slaying
Verb
  • Despite being identified decades ago, the exact trigger of the joint-demolishing condition is still unclear.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
  • At least one person was arrested for trespassing in connection with an earlier protest to stop contractors from demolishing the other trees.
    — Michael Loria, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of demolishing
Verb
  • With each passing episode of its second season, Sugar has been leading its title character to the same mind-and-spirit-shattering dilemma.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Water levels in Budapest sunk to 4 inches Monday, shattering the previous record low of 13 inches set in 2018, according to the Associated Press.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of shattering

Browse Nearby Words

destroyers
destroying
destroys
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Cite this Entry

“Destroying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destroying. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of destroying for Spanish Speakers

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