destroy

To destroy something is to remove it from existence. There are many ways to destroy something. The words kill, eliminate, defeat, demolish, tear down, wipe out, and obliterate are all similar to the word "destroy."

• Ron’s house was completely destroyed by a tornado.
• We need to destroy some documents, so we’re sending them through a shredder.
• Rioters destroyed the downtown area after two nights of rioting and looting.
• The dog was destroyed because he posed a danger to the community.
• Martha was destroyed by the news of her son’s death.
• A lengthy prison sentence is likely to destroy Virgil. He’ll never survive.
• Fire quickly destroyed the entire city.

The word "destruction" is a noun:

• Destruction from the storm was estimated to cost millions of dollars.
• The woman’s inability to stop gambling led to her ultimate destruction.
• A man was arrested for destruction of property after he was caught breaking into a car.
• The destruction of the temple devastated everyone.

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May 4, 2016