- destroy
- verb1 damage sth so badly that it no longer existsADVERB▪ completely, entirely, totally, utterly▪ all but, almost, effectively, nearly, practically, virtually▪
Their lives have been virtually destroyed by this tragedy.
▪ largely▪ partially, partly▪ eventually, ultimately▪Our greed may ultimately destroy the planet.
▪ systematically▪The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.
▪ single-handedly▪That guy just single-handedly destroyed everything we've worked for.
▪ easily▪ for ever, permanently▪ immediately, instantly▪The bomb hit, instantly destroying the building.
▪ quickly, rapidly▪ slowly▪Depression and despair slowly destroyed his life.
▪ deliberately▪ accidentally, inadvertently▪ physically▪He physically destroyed the computer by smashing it to pieces.
▪ literally▪The earthquake literally destroyed their villages.
▪ by fire▪The building was destroyed by fire last year.
VERB + DESTROY▪ can, could, etc.▪Drugs can destroy the lives of young people.
▪ threaten to▪This disease threatens to destroy many of our native trees.
PHRASES▪ an attempt to destroy sth▪a new attempt to destroy enemy positions
▪ be capable of destroying sth▪These weapons are capable of destroying the entire planet.
▪ be intent on destroying sth▪She seemed intent on destroying everything they had built up together.
2 kill an animalADVERB▪ humanelyPHRASES▪ have to be destroyed▪The horse fell and had to be destroyed.
Destroy is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑blast, ↑bomb, ↑cyclone, ↑earthquake, ↑explosion, ↑fire, ↑hurricane, ↑landslide, ↑locust, ↑missile, ↑tornado, ↑typhoon, ↑vandal, ↑virusDestroy is used with these nouns as the object: ↑aircraft, ↑army, ↑bacteria, ↑base, ↑bridge, ↑building, ↑camp, ↑capitalism, ↑cell, ↑chance, ↑civilization, ↑competition, ↑confidence, ↑country, ↑credibility, ↑crop, ↑defence, ↑dignity, ↑document, ↑dog, ↑earth, ↑economy, ↑effectiveness, ↑embryo, ↑empire, ↑enemy, ↑essence, ↑evidence, ↑evil, ↑fabric, ↑faith, ↑file, ↑flavour, ↑fleet, ↑forest, ↑foundation, ↑friendship, ↑germ, ↑habitat, ↑heritage, ↑home, ↑hope, ↑illusion, ↑industry, ↑integrity, ↑liberty, ↑livelihood, ↑mankind, ↑missile, ↑monster, ↑monument, ↑morale, ↑myth, ↑negative, ↑neighbourhood, ↑nest, ↑network, ↑ozone, ↑planet, ↑property, ↑record, ↑regime, ↑relationship, ↑reputation, ↑ship, ↑symmetry, ↑system, ↑tank, ↑target, ↑trust, ↑unity, ↑vegetation, ↑vestige, ↑wall, ↑world
Collocations dictionary. 2013.