decimate
verb/ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/
Frequency rank: #19,243 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)
Meaning
To destroy or kill a large part of something; to cause severe damage to.
Example sentence
The drought threatened to decimate the region's crops and leave thousands without food.
Synonyms & related words
More words in ranks 19,201–19,300
- achieverA person who successfully reaches goals through effort and determination.
- boastfulShowing excessive pride in oneself; tending to brag.
- capitulateto give up resistance and agree to demands; to surrender.
- chickpeaA round, pale yellow legume used widely in cooking, especially in dishes like hummus and curry.
- cornstarcha fine white powder made from corn, used to thicken sauces, soups, and other foods.
- downbeatpessimistic or gloomy in mood or outlook.
- interferometeran instrument that uses the interference of light waves to make precise measurements of distance or wavelength.
- isotropicHaving physical properties that are the same in all directions.
- ostensibleAppearing or stated to be true, but not necessarily so; seeming.
- peculiarityA characteristic or habit that is strange or unusual; an oddity.