Definition Synonyms
Definition of destroying - Reverso English Dictionary
Adjective
destructionruining something completely
- The destroying criticism shattered his confidence.
- The destroying storm left the town in ruins.
- Her destroying words ended their friendship.
Expressions with destroying
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
angel in religious texts that brings about destruction
In the scripture, the destroying angel smites the wicked..
causing loss or removal of freedom
That law is a freedom-destroying measure.
unremittingly monotonous and boring
His job at the factory was soul-destroying.
Origin of destroying
Latin, destruere (to unbuild)
Terms with destroying included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
destruction
the act of breaking or destroying something forcefully
trash handling
process of removing or destroying waste
chemistry
capable of destroying materials by chemical action
destruction
process of destroying buildings or structures
disappointing
causing disappointment by destroying expectations
military
instance of destroying an enemy target
cleaning
destroying bacteria or inhibiting their growth
destroying peace
spoil the peace or tranquility of a place
destructive
forcefully violating or destroying something
destruction
act of discarding or destroying something carelessly
fungi destruction
capable of destroying fungi
destruction
destroying a large part of a population
destruction
the act of destroying buildings or structures
military
strategy of destroying resources to hinder enemies
military
strategy destroying resources to hinder enemies
medical
severe burn destroying skin and tissue
germ-killing
destroying or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms
disaster
large fire destroying many things
emotional control
suppressing or destroying feelings or ideas
destruction
act of destroying with firebombs
skin layers
burn destroying both epidermis and dermis
corrosive
capable of destroying by chemical action
military
removal of a threat by killing or destroying
military
removal of a threat by killing or destroying
View all translations of destroying
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:destructeur, ...
- German:zerstörerisch, ...
- Italian:distruttivo, ...
- Spanish:destructivo, ...
- Portuguese:arruinador, ...
- Chinese:毁灭性的, ...
- Japanese:壊滅的な, ...
- Arabic:مُدَمِّر, ...
- Hebrew:הֶרְסָנִי, ...
- Russian:разрушительный, ...
- Ukrainian:згубний, ...
- Hindi:विनाशकारी, ...
Definition of destroy - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
physical damagedamage something beyond repair or existence
- The hurricane destroyed the small village.
2.
end existencecause something to cease to exist
- The fire will destroy the entire forest..
3.
ruin lifeUS severely disrupt a person's well-beingUS
- The scandal destroyed his career.
4.
veterinaryUK put down or euthanize an animalUK
- The vet had to destroy the rabid dog.
5.
technologyremove data in computing
- The virus destroyed all the files on the computer.
6.
scienceneutralize or undo a property or condition
- The antidote destroyed the poison's effects.
Expressions with destroy
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
end relationships or connections between people
His harsh words could destroy bridges with his colleagues.
ruin any possibility of success
His rude comment could destroy his chances of getting the job.
damage someone's good name or standing
One scandalous article could destroy his reputation in the conservative community.
make someone lose hope or confidence completely
The constant criticism destroyed his morale at work.
eliminate all competitors
The company aims to destroy the competition through aggressive marketing.
eliminate proof of wrongdoing
The suspect tried to destroy the evidence before the police arrived.
end the life of an animal with as little pain as possible
The vet had to humanely destroy the injured horse.
aggressive approach to eliminate a problem or obstacle
The team launched a search and destroy mission against the bugs.
engage in actions leading to one's downfall
She tends to self-destroy by doubting her abilities.
military operation to find and eliminate targets
The unit was sent on a seek and destroy mission.
military mission to find and eliminate enemies
The unit was sent on a search-and-destroy last night.
Origin of destroy
Latin, destruere (tear down)
Examples of destroy in a sentence
Floods can destroy entire communities. The hurricane could destroy the entire town. They plan to destroy the old building next week. The betrayal destroyed their friendship. His addiction nearly destroyed his family life. The farmer decided to destroy the sick livestock.
Due to severe illness, they had to destroy the horse. The hacker managed to destroy the database records. A bug in the software destroyed the saved settings. Ultraviolet light can destroy the virus's ability to reproduce. The enzyme destroys the compound's harmful activity.
View all translations of destroy
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:détruire, ruiner, ...
- German:zerstören, einschläfern, ...
- Italian:distruggere, rovinare, ...
- Spanish:destruir, arruinar, ...
- Portuguese:destruir, aniquilar, ...
- Chinese:摧毁, 毁掉, ...
- Japanese:破壊する, 消滅させる, ...
- Arabic:دَمَّرَ, أَفْنَى, ...
- Hebrew:לְהַחְרִיב, לְהַשְׁמִיד, ...
- Russian:разрушать, уничтожить, ...
- Ukrainian:знищувати, руйнувати, ...
- Hindi:नष्ट करना, मिटा देना, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the