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Synonyms

destruction

American  
[dih-struhk-shuhn] / dɪˈstrʌk ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of destroying.

    wanton destruction of a town.

  2. the condition of being destroyed; demolition; annihilation.

  3. a cause or means of destroying.


destruction British  
/ dɪˈstrʌkʃən /

noun

  1. the act of destroying or state of being destroyed; demolition

  2. a cause of ruin or means of destroying

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See ruin.

Other Word Forms

  • nondestruction noun
  • predestruction noun
  • semidestruction noun

Etymology

Origin of destruction

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Latin dēstructiōn- (stem of dēstructiō ), equivalent to dēstruct(us) (past participle of dēstruere; destroy ) + -iōn- -ion

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.

Some cases involved vanishing bile duct syndrome, a liver condition characterized by the progressive destruction of bile ducts in the liver, the agency said.

From The Wall Street Journal

A key worry is demand destruction due to the oil shock.

From Barron's

Analysts currently estimate that roughly 9 million barrels per day of global oil supply have been disrupted, while early demand destruction falls short of closing the gap.

From Barron's

That whipsaw feeling — processing grief and destruction, while doing your song-and-dance to survive, all via the same rectangle — is the backdrop of Thundercat’s new album, “Distracted,” his fifth LP and first in six years.

From Los Angeles Times

But that’s a far cry from the deliberate destruction of civilian targets.

From The Wall Street Journal