destroy

Meaning

Verb

• To damage beyond use or repair.
• To neutralize, undo a property or condition.
• To put down or euthanize.
• To severely disrupt the well-being of (a person); ruin.
• To defeat soundly.
• To remove data.
• To sing a song poorly.
• To exhaust duly and thus recreate or build up.
• To penetrate sexually in an aggressive way.

Related

Similar words

• annihilate
• break
• demolish
• kill
• ruin
• waste

Opposite words

• build
• construct
• create
• make
• raise
• repair

Origin

• From Middle English destroyen, from Old French destruire, Vulgar Latin *destrugō, from Classical Latin dēstruō, from dē- + struō. Displaced native shend.