World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesDestroy
/dɪˈstrɔɪ/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
To put an end to the existence of something by damaging or attacking it violently.
"The fierce storm threatened to destroy the coastal village." - 2
To defeat utterly or invalidate completely.
"The new scientific evidence completely destroyed his earlier hypothesis."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the Middle English word destruyen, stemming from the Old French destruire, which traces back to the Latin destruere meaning 'to pull down, undo, or build down' (from de- + struere 'to pile up, build'). Over centuries, its meaning shifted from architectural dismantling to the complete termination of existence or functionality of physical and abstract entities.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Destroy"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Destroy" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
détruire
Transliteration: /de.tʁɥiʁ/
"Le feu a failli détruire la maison."
zerstören
Transliteration: /tsɛɐ̯ˈʃtøːʁən/
"Der Sturm hat viele Gebäude zerstört."
distruggere
Transliteration: /diˈstrudːʒere/
"Il terremoto ha distrutto l'intera città."
destruir
Transliteration: /destɾuˈiɾ/
"La contaminación puede destruir el medio ambiente."
destruir
Transliteration: /deʃtɾuˈiɾ/
"O fogo destruiu a floresta."
नष्ट करना
Transliteration: nasht karna
"भूकंप ने शहर को नष्ट कर दिया।"
破坏
Transliteration: pò huài
"这场大火摧毁了整座森林。"
파괴하다
Transliteration: pagwoehada
"태풍이 마을을 파괴했습니다."
破壊する
Transliteration: hakai suru
"その津波は多くの家屋を破壊した。"
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