decimating
Wiping out most
Decimating is destroying or killing a large portion of something.
The word originally meant executing one in ten soldiers as punishment, but modern usage has shifted toward near-total destruction: The plague decimated the population.
Despite objections from traditionalists, decimating now typically suggests severe damage rather than precisely ten percent loss.
Destroying utterly and completely
- devastatingCausing severe damage
- obliteratingDestroying beyond recognition
- ravagingViolently destroying everything
- destroyingCausing complete ruin
wiping out · laying waste · ruining · demolishing · eradicating · exterminating · crushing · pulverizing
Widespread disease occurrence
- plagueDeadly epidemic disease
- famineSevere food shortage
- droughtProlonged water scarcity
- pestilenceFatal epidemic disease
disease · pandemic · outbreak · mortality · death toll · starvation · extinction · die-off
Military personnel collectively
- battalionMid-sized military unit
- regimentColonel-led military unit
- armyOrganized land-based military
- forcesCauses of motion
casualties · fallen · warfare · combat · battle · attrition · siege · offensive
Tenth for clergy
- tenthOrdinal for position nine-plus-one
- RomanOf ancient Italy's capital
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
- legionGreat number, or soldiers
discipline · lottery · selection · execution · ancient · historical · military justice · retribution
Harm or impairment
- health barOn-screen vitality indicator
- hit pointsGaming health metric
- bossWorkplace superior
- enemiesHostile opposing parties
raid · DPS · critical hit · attack · combat · defeating · slaying · clearing
annihilating
Destroying utterly and completely
- devastatingCausing severe damage
- obliteratingDestroying beyond recognition
- ravagingViolently destroying everything
destroying · wiping out · laying waste · ruining · demolishing · eradicating · exterminating · crushing · pulverizing · razing
epidemic
Widespread disease occurrence
pestilence · disease · pandemic · outbreak · mortality · death toll · starvation · extinction · die-off · collapse
troops
Military personnel collectively
forces · casualties · fallen · warfare · combat · battle · attrition · siege · offensive · campaign
tithe
Tenth for clergy
- tenthOrdinal for position nine-plus-one
- RomanOf ancient Italy's capital
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
legion · discipline · lottery · selection · execution · ancient · historical · military justice · retribution · example
damage
Harm or impairment
- health barOn-screen vitality indicator
- hit pointsGaming health metric
- bossWorkplace superior
enemies · raid · DPS · critical hit · attack · combat · defeating · slaying · clearing · mobs
- destructiondestruction, destroying, demolishing, devastation, ruination
- outperformingsurpassing, exceeding, excelling, outperforming, outdoing
decimatingpreserving
Protecting from deterioration
conserving · protecting · safeguarding · saving · maintaining
decimatingmultiplying
Increasing by repeated addition
proliferating · repopulating · expanding · growing · increasing
decimatingstrengthening
Increasing power or solidity
fortifying · bolstering · nurturing · cultivating · nourishing