destroyer
Americannoun
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a person or thing that destroys.
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a fast, relatively small, warship armed mainly with 5-inch (13-centimeter) guns.
noun
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a small fast lightly armoured but heavily armed warship
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a person or thing that destroys
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of destroyer
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English destroiere (compare Old French destruiere ); see destroy, -er 1
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Vocabulary lists containing destroyer
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
France has sent its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, to the region, and the UK on Saturday said it was sending a destroyer, HMS Dragon.
From Barron's • May 10, 2026
Kim’s young daughter joined the inspection on Thursday, standing behind her father as he met with navy sailors and dined with the crew on the destroyer.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
The Royal Navy destroyer, HMS Dragon, is now providing additional air defences operating off the coast of Cyprus.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
The government has since dispatched HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, to the region to protect the base, as part of wider defensive efforts.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
Navy destroyer, the crew of the latter on hand to cheer on the midshipmen from Annapolis.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
