Synonyms for destroy
dɪˈstrɔɪde·stroy

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:3.0 / 11 votes

1. destroyverb

   Synonyms:
   ruin, annihilate, waste, demolish, kill

   Antonyms:
   repair, make, restore

2. destroyverb

   To cause destruction.

   Hooligans destroy unprovoked

   Synonyms:
   annihilate, kill, waste, ruin, demolish

   Antonyms:
   restore, repair, make

3. destroyverb

   To neutralize, undo a property or condition.

   Smoking destroys the natural subtlety of the palate

   Synonyms:
   ruin, waste, annihilate, demolish, kill

   Antonyms:
   restore, repair, make

4. destroyverb

   To put down or euthanize.

   Destroying a rabid dog is required by law.

   Synonyms:
   kill, waste, ruin, demolish, annihilate

   Antonyms:
   make, repair, restore

5. destroyverb

   To defeat soundly.

   Synonyms:
   demolish, annihilate, waste, kill, ruin

   Antonyms:
   restore, make, repair

6. destroyverb

   To remove data.

   The memory leak happened because we forgot to destroy the temporary lists.

   Synonyms:
   annihilate, waste, demolish, ruin, kill

   Antonyms:
   repair, restore, make

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. destroy

   Abolish, to do away with, bring absolutely to an end, especially as something hostile, hindering, or harmful, was formerly used of persons and material objects, a usage now obsolete except in poetry or highly figurative speech. Abolish is now used of institutions, customs, and conditions, especially those wide-spread and long existing; as, to abolish slavery, ignorance, intemperance, poverty. A building that is burned to the ground is said to be destroyed by fire. Annihilate, as a philosophical term, signifies to put absolutely out of existence. As far as our knowledge goes, matter is never annihilated, but only changes its form. Some believe that the wicked will be annihilated. Abolish is not said of laws. There we use repeal, abrogate, nullify, etc.: repeal by the enacting body, nullify by revolutionary proceedings; a later statute abrogates, without formally repealing, any earlier law with which it conflicts. An appellate court may reverse or set aside the decision of an inferior court. Overthrow may be used in either a good or a bad sense; suppress is commonly in a good, subvert always in a bad sense; as, to subvert our liberties; to suppress a rebellion. The law prohibits what may never have existed; it abolishes an existing evil. We abate a nuisance, terminate a controversy. Compare CANCEL; DEMOLISH; EXTERMINATE.

   Synonyms:
   abate, abolish, abrogate, annihilate, annul, end, end, eradicate, exterminate, extirpate, nullify, obliterate, overthrow, prohibit, remove, repeal, reverse, revoke, set aside, stamp out, subvert, supplant, suppress, terminate

   Antonyms:
   authorize, cherish, confirm, continue, enact, establish, institute, introduce, legalize, promote, reinstate, renew, repair, restore, revive, set up, support, sustain

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. destroy

   Synonyms:
   demolish, annihilate, subvert, ruin, overthrow, undo, waste, consume

   Antonyms:
   restore, reinstate, repair, fabricate, make, construct, create

GCIDERate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Destroyverb

   Synonyms:
   To demolish, lay waste, consume, raze, dismantle, ruin, throw down, overthrow, subvert, desolate, devastate, deface, extirpate, extinguish, kill, slay. See Demolish.

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. destroy, destructverb

   do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

   "The fire destroyed the house"

   Synonyms:
   demolish, ruin, put down, destruct

2. destroy, ruinverb

   destroy completely; damage irreparably

   "You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!"; "The tears ruined her make-up"

   Synonyms:
   demolish, destruct, bankrupt, ruin, smash, deflower, break, put down

3. demolish, destroyverb

   defeat soundly

   "The home team demolished the visitors"

   Synonyms:
   put down, demolish, destruct, crush, ruin, pulverise, smash, pulverize

4. destroy, put downverb

   put (an animal) to death

   "The customs agents destroyed the dog that was found to be rabid"; "the sick cat had to be put down"

   Synonyms:
   bring down, enter, ruin, disgrace, record, put down, degrade, discharge, lay, drop, unload, repose, set down, land, take down, demolish, demean, drop off, get down, destruct, place down, write down

Matched Categories

1. • Kill

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. deallocationnoun

   delete

   Submitted by Src.shreyan on April 14, 2022  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. destroyverb

   Synonyms:
   demolish, overturn, overthrow, subvert, raze, ruin, throw down, pull down, break up, sap the foundations of

2. destroyverb

   Synonyms:
   annihilate, quench, put an end to, bring to nought

3. destroyverb

   Synonyms:
   waste, ravage, desolate, devastate, devour, lay waste, make desolate, swallow up, ravage with fire and sword

4. destroyverb

   Synonyms:
   extirpate, eradicate, uproot, kill, slay, extinguish, carry off, root out, grub up, pluck up by the roots, cut up root and branch, strike at the root of, give a death blow to, scatter to the winds

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. destroyverb

   Synonyms:
   annihilate, undo, demolish, raze, desolate, devour, sack, dismantle, eradicate, exterminate, ruin

   Antonyms:
   conserve, preserve, perpetuate, spare

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:5.0 / 1 vote

1. List of paraphrases for "destroy":

   destroying, destruction, destroyed, ruin, destroys, demolish, annihilate, devastate, obliterate, wreck, crush, undermine, spoil, dismantle

Suggested Resources

1. destroy

   Song lyrics by destroy -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by destroy on the Lyrics.com website.

How to pronounce destroy?

How to say destroy in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. [["1515","2"],["1520","5"],["1524","2"],["1563","13"],["1568","6"],["1572","8"],["1574","1"],["1575","8"],["1579","7"],["1581","20"],["1582","16"],["1584","2"],["1587","8"],["1588","15"],["1589","2"],["1590","30"],["1592","1"],["1598","2"],["1603","2"],["1606","6"],["1607","17"],["1611","1"],["1612","2"],["1619","1"],["1620","10"],["1621","2"],["1623","2"],["1624","9"],["1625","3"],["1629","5"],["1630","8"],["1631","1"],["1632","1"],["1634","6"],["1635","15"],["1637","4"],["1638","17"],["1640","6"],["1641","3"],["1642","15"],["1643","20"],["1644","74"],["1645","4"],["1647","18"],["1648","36"],["1649","25"],["1650","14"],["1651","32"],["1652","11"],["1653","19"],["1654","1"],["1655","12"],["1656","17"],["1657","28"],["1658","73"],["1659","103"],["1660","17"],["1661","3"],["1662","4"],["1664","21"],["1665","3"],["1666","5"],["1667","47"],["1668","43"],["1669","22"],["1670","34"],["1671","7"],["1672","33"],["1673","28"],["1674","7"],["1675","40"],["1676","68"],["1677","42"],["1678","110"],["1679","64"],["1680","88"],["1681","189"],["1682","135"],["1683","174"],["1684","152"],["1685","98"],["1686","53"],["1687","25"],["1688","131"],["1689","82"],["1690","50"],["1691","34"],["1692","50"],["1693","95"],["1694","142"],["1695","99"],["1696","62"],["1697","98"],["1698","203"],["1699","210"],["1700","309"],["1701","271"],["1702","338"],["1703","326"],["1704","362"],["1705","392"],["1706","539"],["1707","418"],["1708","540"],["1709","209"],["1710","453"],["1711","408"],["1712","207"],["1713","303"],["1714","503"],["1715","457"],["1716","343"],["1717","715"],["1718","309"],["1719","227"],["1720","685"],["1721","399"],["1722","637"],["1723","428"],["1724","652"],["1725","576"],["1726","769"],["1727","861"],["1728","773"],["1729","898"],["1730","648"],["1731","786"],["1732","808"],["1733","355"],["1734","515"],["1735","635"],["1736","634"],["1737","1123"],["1738","1036"],["1739","847"],["1740","759"],["1741","513"],["1742","770"],["1743","588"],["1744","1133"],["1745","566"],["1746","488"],["1747","1073"],["1748","1188"],["1749","1042"],["1750","1116"],["1751","1431"],["1752","801"],["1753","1046"],["1754","1121"],["1755","1310"],["1756","539"],["1757","931"],["1758","1065"],["1759","1141"],["1760","771"],["1761","1009"],["1762","484"],["1763","1256"],["1764","1156"],["1765","790"],["1766","1246"],["1767","1063"],["1768","1546"],["1769","810"],["1770","1195"],["1771","1038"],["1772","1145"],["1773","1012"],["1774","1275"],["1775","1455"],["1776","1261"],["1777","1055"],["1778","1060"],["1779","952"],["1780","913"],["1781","1083"],["1782","913"],["1783","1025"],["1784","1241"],["1785","1344"],["1786","1304"],["1787","2152"],["1788","1911"],["1789","1578"],["1790","2239"],["1791","2606"],["1792","2600"],["1793","2363"],["1794","2726"],["1795","2845"],["1796","2962"],["1797","2556"],["1798","2426"],["1799","2563"],["1800","3718"],["1801","5262"],["1802","4492"],["1803","5542"],["1804","5777"],["1805","6111"],["1806","6147"],["1807","6201"],["1808","7251"],["1809","8098"],["1810","8271"],["1811","8770"],["1812","9536"],["1813","7647"],["1814","8062"],["1815","8183"],["1816","8388"],["1817","9485"],["1818","9717"],["1819","7828"],["1820","11560"],["1821","8244"],["1822","13264"],["1823","13113"],["1824","13791"],["1825","16690"],["1826","11555"],["1827","11211"],["1828","14154"],["1829","13690"],["1830","17123"],["1831","14539"],["1832","15846"],["1833","14219"],["1834","13396"],["1835","15967"],["1836","16180"],["1837","15240"],["1838","14688"],["1839","19129"],["1840","18994"],["1841","16569"],["1842","17740"],["1843","17443"],["1844","18828"],["1845","19940"],["1846","20265"],["1847","18455"],["1848","19609"],["1849","19438"],["1850","21379"],["1851","22347"],["1852","22856"],["1853","25337"],["1854","28983"],["1855","24677"],["1856","28039"],["1857","21402"],["1858","21752"],["1859","22539"],["1860","24378"],["1861","17666"],["1862","15839"],["1863","17682"],["1864","20322"],["1865","20340"],["1866","23089"],["1867","20580"],["1868","21774"],["1869","20289"],["1870","21022"],["1871","21205"],["1872","19512"],["1873","21937"],["1874","22425"],["1875","22725"],["1876","23111"],["1877","23662"],["1878","20997"],["1879","21968"],["1880","26746"],["1881","27145"],["1882","27344"],["1883","31457"],["1884","29602"],["1885","28384"],["1886","24244"],["1887","25590"],["1888","26529"],["1889","24782"],["1890","26499"],["1891","27553"],["1892","29203"],["1893","26748"],["1894","27912"],["1895","29321"],["1896","32770"],["1897","31802"],["1898","33068"],["1899","38694"],["1900","40026"],["1901","40597"],["1902","38693"],["1903","37664"],["1904","39654"],["1905","41470"],["1906","40989"],["1907","40544"],["1908","41896"],["1909","39452"],["1910","40594"],["1911","40189"],["1912","40823"],["1913","40376"],["1914","39793"],["1915","38709"],["1916","36107"],["1917","36743"],["1918","35452"],["1919","36395"],["1920","42188"],["1921","36094"],["1922","37209"],["1923","30570"],["1924","29555"],["1925","28404"],["1926","26876"],["1927","31733"],["1928","31912"],["1929","29789"],["1930","31483"],["1931","30895"],["1932","27374"],["1933","23082"],["1934","28604"],["1935","31902"],["1936","32715"],["1937","31771"],["1938","33671"],["1939","35973"],["1940","33823"],["1941","31801"],["1942","31508"],["1943","28151"],["1944","24996"],["1945","27320"],["1946","34792"],["1947","39143"],["1948","40690"],["1949","43100"],["1950","42584"],["1951","41553"],["1952","43562"],["1953","41545"],["1954","42607"],["1955","43847"],["1956","45542"],["1957","50065"],["1958","49555"],["1959","53011"],["1960","61918"],["1961","66966"],["1962","72173"],["1963","75348"],["1964","76058"],["1965","85146"],["1966","87597"],["1967","94565"],["1968","105120"],["1969","104580"],["1970","109236"],["1971","105226"],["1972","105347"],["1973","102198"],["1974","96399"],["1975","93759"],["1976","94183"],["1977","94790"],["1978","96053"],["1979","97075"],["1980","95026"],["1981","97498"],["1982","98826"],["1983","105131"],["1984","110898"],["1985","111620"],["1986","120175"],["1987","123702"],["1988","126168"],["1989","132843"],["1990","142473"],["1991","141669"],["1992","151776"],["1993","148438"],["1994","155023"],["1995","161002"],["1996","171392"],["1997","175284"],["1998","183936"],["1999","196550"],["2000","223109"],["2001","221928"],["2002","254916"],["2003","290123"],["2004","313180"],["2005","298098"],["2006","324942"],["2007","348662"],["2008","482387"]]

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use destroy in a sentence?

1. Bradley Bowman:

   A top priority for Russia would be to find those facilities and destroy them, and that's going to be one more thing that Ukraine will have to protect -- which, ironically, will increase their requirement for air missile-defense-capacity capability.

2. Debasish Mridha, M.D.:

   War or violence never can destroy enemies, only forgiveness can do that.

3. Denise LaFrance:

   Do not dissect a rainbow. In other words, do not destroy a beautiful phenomenon by overanalyzing it. ❄️

4. Curtis Strange:

   The whole thing is very uncomfortable — writing the name on the paper, sealing it in the envelope, you don't ever want that name to get out. You don't ever want to destroy someone's confidence. But you're obligated to put a name in the envelope.

5. Vladimir Putin:

   Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Rachmaninov are excluded from posters, Russian writers and their books are banned, the last time such a massive campaign to destroy unfavorable literature was carried out by the Nazis in Germany almost 90 years ago.