Synonyms for destroy

Most common

ruin · demolish · kill · obliterate

All synonyms

Verb

Antonyms

make, build, re-build

All antonyms of destroy →

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To damage beyond use or repair; to damage (something) to the point that it effectively ceases to exist.

   Hooligans destroy unprovoked.

Related words

Word family

destroyable destroyer destruct destructible destruction destructive

Forms

Past participle

destroyed
e.g. destroyed → ruined, demolished, killed, obliterated…

Example sentences

• kill He tried to kill himself because he lost her love.
• demolish The decision was made to demolish the old building.
• annihilate We shall annihilate anyone who stands in our way!
• obliterate It's time to obliterate those walls of yours!
• destruct This sentence will self-destruct in three seconds.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters

kill¹, ruin², slay¹, raze¹

5 letters

break¹

6 letters

batter², ravage², uproot², deface²

7 letters

consume², cripple², subvert²

8 letters

demolish³, desolate³, overturn³, destruct²

9 letters

eradicate⁴, dismantle³, devastate³, euthanize³, extirpate³, euthanase

10 letters

extinguish³, annihilate⁴, obliterate⁴

11 letters

exterminate⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (ruin² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français

détruire

Italiano

distruggere

Español

destrozar

Deutsch

umreißen