Word
destruction
Phoneticsde·struc·tion, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈstɹəkʃən/
UK/dɪstɹˈʌkʃən/
Definitions
01the act of destroying
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the act of damaging something so badly that it is completely ruined or no longer exists.
n. the action of causing such severe damage to an object or entity that it ceases to exist or function.
日本語:破壊※
“The sudden flood caused the total destruction of several homes along the river.”
“The deliberate destruction of cultural heritage sites during the conflict was condemned by international observers as a war crime.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02the state of being destroyed
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the state of being ruined or the damage left behind after a disaster.
n. the condition of having been destroyed; the physical remains or state of ruin following a destructive event.
日本語:荒廃※
“We were shocked by the scale of destruction left behind by the storm.”
“Surveying the destruction, the emergency teams realised that the infrastructure would take years to fully rebuild.”
Synonyms
03a group of cats
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary
n. a special name for a group of wild or homeless cats.
n. a collective noun specifically used for a group of feral cats.
“A destruction of feral cats lived in the old warehouse near the docks.”
“The author used the term 'a destruction of cats' to evoke a sense of wildness and disorder in the abandoned city.”
Usage
This is a collective noun and is rarely used in everyday conversation.
Teaching tip
This is a 'term of venery' or a poetic collective noun; students should know it exists but use 'group' or 'colony' in normal speech.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “destruction” in context.
Verb
01. cause widespread destruction
“The hurricane caused widespread destruction across the coastal region.”
verb + adj + noun
02. lead to the destruction
“Poor management eventually led to the destruction of the historic company.”
verb + prep + noun
03. witness the destruction
“Rescue workers were shocked when they witnessed the destruction left by the earthquake.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. environmental destruction
“New laws were passed to prevent further environmental destruction in the rainforest.”
adj + noun
05. total destruction
“The fire resulted in the total destruction of the warehouse and all its contents.”
adj + noun
06. wanton destruction
“The police were appalled by the wanton destruction of public property by the vandals.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. path of destruction
“The tornado left a narrow path of destruction through the center of the town.”
noun + of + noun
08. weapons of mass destruction
“International inspectors searched the country for weapons of mass destruction.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“Even so, it is clear that wildfires can have environmental consequences that extend far beyond the destruction of local vegetation in terms of time and distance.” “Water voles are also threatened by habitat destruction.” “The 17th century closed with the destruction of almost all of the old palace at Whitehall in a massive fire.” “Kilkeel Angling Club said the scale of the destruction was "devastating".” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English destruccioun, from Old French destrucion, from Latin dēstructiō, dēstructiōnem.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
01. mass destruction
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/destruction
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0