Collocations for destroy - verb
1. damage sth so badly that it no longer exists
ADVERB
completely,
entirely,
totally,
utterly
all but, almost, effectively, nearly, practically, virtually
Their lives have been virtually destroyed by this tragedy.
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.
partially, partly
eventually, ultimately
Our greed may ultimately destroy the planet.
systematically
The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.
The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.
single-handedly
That guy just single-handedly destroyed everything we've worked for.
That guy just single-handedly destroyed everything we've worked for.
easily
for ever, permanently
immediately, instantly
The bomb hit, instantly destroying the building.
for ever, permanently
immediately, instantly
The bomb hit, instantly destroying the building.
quickly,
rapidly
slowly
Depression and despair slowly destroyed his life.
slowly
Depression and despair slowly destroyed his life.
deliberately
accidentally, inadvertently
physically
He physically destroyed the computer by smashing it to pieces.
accidentally, inadvertently
physically
He physically destroyed the computer by smashing it to pieces.
literally
The earthquake literally destroyed their villages.
The earthquake literally destroyed their villages.
by fire
The building was destroyed by fire last year.
The building was destroyed by fire last year.
VERB + destroy
can,
could,
etc.
Drugs can destroy the lives of young people.
Drugs can destroy the lives of young people.
threaten to
This disease threatens to destroy many of our native trees.
This disease threatens to destroy many of our native trees.
PHRASES
an attempt to destroy sth
a new attempt to destroy enemy positions
a new attempt to destroy enemy positions
be capable of destroying sth
These weapons are capable of destroying the entire planet.
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.
She seemed intent on destroying everything they had built up together.
2. kill an animal
Destroy is used with these nouns as the subject:
blast, bomb, cyclone, earthquake, explosion, fire, hurricane, landslide, locust, missile, tornado, typhoon, vandal, virus
blast, bomb, cyclone, earthquake, explosion, fire, hurricane, landslide, locust, missile, tornado, typhoon, vandal, virus
Destroy 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
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