destroy

/dɪsˈtrɔɪ/

/dɪsˈtrɔɪ/

Other forms: destroyed; destroying; destroys

When your little brother breaks your carefully constructed Lego village into its tiny parts, he destroys it. To destroy is to completely demolish.

To destroy is the opposite of to construct or to build. When you destroy something, you cause destruction, when you build something, you are involved in its construction. In war, soldiers are sometimes sent on missions to search and destroy. This means their job is to find a target and completely take it out. Destroy doesn't have to be physical though. If you get an F in your math class, that could destroy your dream of going to an Ivy League university and too much criticism can destroy your self-esteem.

Definitions of destroy

1. verb

   do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
   “The fire destroyed the house”

   synonyms: destruct

   types:

   kill

   destroy a vitally essential quality of or in

   do away with, eliminate, extinguish, get rid of

   terminate, end, or take out

   self-destroy, self-destruct

   do away with oneself or itself

   destruct

   destroy (one's own missile or rocket)

   end

   put an end to

   fracture

   interrupt, break, or destroy

   sweep away, wipe out

   eliminate completely and without a trace

   interdict

   destroy by firepower, such as an enemy's line of communication

   demolish, pulverise, pulverize

   destroy completely

   break apart, break up, disassemble, dismantle, take apart

   take apart into its constituent pieces

   dismantle, level, pull down, rase, raze, take down, tear down

   tear down so as to make flat with the ground

   eradicate, exterminate, extirpate, root out, uproot

   destroy completely, as if down to the roots

   dilapidate

   bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin by neglect or misuse

   demyelinate

   destroy the myelin sheath of

   cancel out, wipe out

   wipe out the effect of something

   decouple

   reduce or eliminate the coupling of (one circuit or part to another)

   decouple

   eliminate airborne shock waves from (an explosive)

   annihilate, obliterate

   do away with completely, without leaving a trace

   knock out

   eliminate

   drown

   get rid of as if by submerging

   cut out

   delete or remove

   cut, prune, rationalise, rationalize

   weed out unwanted or unnecessary things

   extinguish, snuff out

   put an end to; kill

   except, exclude, leave off, leave out, omit, take out

   prevent from being included or considered or accepted

   bulldoze

   flatten with or as if with a bulldozer

   type of:

   undo, unmake

   deprive of certain characteristics
2. verb

   destroy completely; damage irreparably
   synonyms: ruin

   types:

   burn, burn down, fire

   destroy by fire

   desolate, devastate, lay waste to, ravage, scourge, waste

   cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly

   harry, ravage

   make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes

   break

   find a flaw in

   break, bust

   ruin completely

   vandalise, vandalize

   destroy wantonly, as through acts of vandalism

   do a job on

   destroy completely or make ugly or useless

   subvert

   overthrow or destroy completely

   get

   overcome or destroy

   devour

   destroy completely

   despoil, plunder, rape, spoil, violate

   destroy and strip of its possession

   explode

   destroy by exploding

   consume

   destroy completely

   shipwreck

   destroy a ship

   bust up, wrack, wreck

   smash or break forcefully

   kick down, kick in

   open violently

   wash out

   wear or destroy by the force of water

   backfire

   set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest or prairie fire

   cremate

   reduce to ashes

   torch

   burn maliciously, as by arson

   scathe, scorch

   destroy completely by or as if by fire

   break down

   cause to fall or collapse

   key

   vandalize a car by scratching the sides with a key

   ruin

   reduce to ruins
3. verb

   defeat soundly
   synonyms: demolish

   types:

   smash

   overthrow or destroy (something considered evil or harmful)

   swallow

   engulf and destroy

   cut to ribbons

   defeat totally

   type of:

   defeat, get the better of, overcome

   win a victory over
4. verb

   put (an animal) to death
   “The customs agents destroyed the dog that was found to be rabid”

   synonyms: put down

   type of:

   kill

   cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly