Definition of "destroy" in English

verb

1. (ambitransitive) To damage beyond use or repair; to damage (something) to the point that it effectively ceases to exist.

   • The earthquake destroyed several apartment complexes.
   • Hooligans destroy unprovoked.

2. (transitive) To neutralize, undo a property or condition.

   • Smoking destroys the natural subtlety of the palate.

3. (transitive) To put down or euthanize.

   • Destroying a rabid dog is required by law.

4. (transitive) To severely disrupt the well-being of (a person); ruin.

   • Her divorce destroyed her; she had a nervous breakdown and was severely depressed for more than a year.

5. (transitive, informal) To utterly defeat; to crush.

   • Remember when Germany destroyed Brazil 7–1 in the World Cup?

6. (transitive, computing) To remove data.

   • The memory leak happened because we forgot to destroy the temporary lists.

7. (transitive, bodybuilding, slang, antiphrasis) To exhaust completely and thus recreate or build up.

   • This exercise is going to destroy all parts of your shoulders.

8. (transitive, slang, vulgar) To penetrate sexually in an aggressive way.

   • She got destroyed by her lover on the carpet.

9. (transitive, US, slang) To sing a song extremely poorly.

10. (transitive, slang) To eat food quickly, hungrily or completely.

    • I could destroy some wings right now.