verb
destroy
dih-STROY
verb
1
To damage something so severely that it no longer exists or can't be repaired.
"The fire destroyed the entire warehouse."
"A single bug destroyed months of work on the project."
2
To defeat someone completely and overwhelmingly.
"The champion destroyed her opponent in straight sets."
3
To kill an animal deliberately, usually for humane or safety reasons.
"The injured horse had to be destroyed."
How to Use Destroy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo ruin or wipe out something completely, or (informally) to beat someone badly.
Common pairings
destroy evidence
destroy a building
utterly destroyed
Word Forms
destroyed past tense, destroys singular
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The fire _____ the entire warehouse.
Etymology
From Old French destruire, from Latin destruere, "to un-build" — from de- ("un-") and struere ("to build").