destroy
Reduce to nothing
To destroy is to damage something so completely that it no longer exists or functions: The fire destroyed the building.
Destroy can apply to physical objects, abstract things like reputations or relationships, or living beings—to destroy an army is to defeat it utterly, to destroy an animal is to kill it, usually by euthanasia.
Informally, to destroy someone can mean to defeat them decisively: We destroyed them in the finals.
Destroy all traces of
- exterminateDestroy completely, every one
- eradicateDestroy completely, utterly
- wipe outDestroy completely or tumble
- extinguishEnd combustion forcibly
vaporize · eliminate · decimate · liquidate · extirpate · devastate · ravage · lay waste
Compress with force
- overwhelmDefeat by excess
- devastateDestroy thoroughly and completely
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
- trounceDefeat decisively
annihilate · decimate · demolish · conquer · vanquish · overpower · beat · thrash
Destroyed vessel or vehicle
- shatterFragment violently, suddenly
- razeDestroy completely
- flattenMake level or smooth
- toppleCause to fall
dismantle · tear down · level · knock down · bulldoze · pulverize · crush · smash
obliterate
Destroy all traces of
- exterminateDestroy completely, every one
- eradicateDestroy completely, utterly
- wipe outDestroy completely or tumble
extinguish · vaporize · eliminate · decimate · liquidate · extirpate · devastate · ravage · lay waste · nuke
crush
Compress with force
- overwhelmDefeat by excess
- devastateDestroy thoroughly and completely
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
trounce · annihilate · decimate · demolish · conquer · vanquish · overpower · beat · thrash · slaughter
wreck
Destroyed vessel or vehicle
topple · dismantle · tear down · level · knock down · bulldoze · pulverize · crush · smash · implode
spoil
Damage or overindulge
- wreckDestroyed vessel or vehicle
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- undermineWeaken by stealth
impair · damage · blight · corrupt · taint · mar · deface · desecrate · vandalize · trash
eliminate
Remove completely
terminate · erase · expunge · efface · undo · unmake · uproot · do away with · stamp out · put an end to
- aggressionhostility, violence, attack, fight, combativeness
- demolitiondemolish, raze, bulldoze, controlled demolition, wreck
- Destroyannihilate, obliterate, demolish, devastate, ruin
- destruction verbsdemolish, wreck, ruin, smash, shatter
- removalremove, elimination, delete, erasing, erase
- disruptdisrupt, disturb, upset, disorder, disorganize
- total destructionComplete and utter ruin
- mass destructionLarge-scale total ruin
- path of destructionRoute marked by ruin
- totally destroyEliminate without remainder
- weapons of mass destructionArms causing widespread casualties
- search and destroyTactical elimination mission
destroyed, destruction, destructive, destroying, destroyer, destroys, indestructible, destroyers, destruct