The meaning of DESTROY is to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of : damage beyond repair. How to use destroy in a sentence.

To destroy is to reduce something to nothingness or to take away its powers and functions so that restoration is impossible: Fire destroys a building. Disease destroys tissues.

DESTROY definition: 1. to damage something so badly that it cannot be used: 2. to kill an animal because it is ill, in…. Learn more.

To destroy something means to cause so much damage to it that it is completely ruined or does not exist any more. That's a sure recipe for destroying the economy and creating chaos.

Dec 1, 2025 · (transitive, slang) To eat food quickly, hungrily or completely. I could destroy some wings right now.

There are 13 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb destroy, four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

To destroy is to reduce something to nothingness or to take away its powers so that restoration is impossible: Disease destroys tissues. To demolish is to destroy something organized or …

To bring to naught; put an end to; annihilate; obliterate entirely; cause to cease, or to cease to be: as, to destroy one's happiness or peace of mind by worry.

destroy definition: damage something beyond repair or existence. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "destroy …

To destroy is the opposite of to construct or to build. When you destroy something, you cause destruction, when you build something, you are involved in its construction.