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decimate
[ des-uh-meyt ]
verb (used with object)
- to kill or destroy a great number or proportion of:
The population was decimated by a plague.
- to greatly reduce in number or amount:
From 1975-1981, our country was not driving the space exploration agenda, and our aerospace workforce was decimated.
- to cause to suffer great loss or harm:
The constant eruptions that spewed forth decimated the forest and turned it to ash.
- to select by lot and kill every tenth person of.
- Obsolete. to take a tenth of or from.
decimate
/ ˈɛɪˌɪ /
verb
- to destroy or kill a large proportion of
a plague decimated the population
- (esp in the ancient Roman army) to kill every tenth man of (a mutinous section)
Usage
Derived Forms
- ˌˈپDz, noun
- ˈˌٴǰ, noun
Other 51Թ Forms
- ···پDz [des-, uh, -, mey, -sh, uh, n], noun
- ···ٴǰ noun
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of decimate1
Example Sentences
Their share prices are particularly badly affected because the President has both decimated their supply chains strategies, and also risks greatly impairing their brand image amongst global consumers.
"I've seen UK manufacturing decimated and the same has happened in America so he's looking after his own, which is exactly what it says on the tin with Trump," she said.
"I've seen UK manufacturing decimated and the same has happened in America so he's looking after his own which is exactly what it says on the tin with Trump."
The Waimaha, whose culture was nearly decimated by rubber tappers and missionaries, for example, make Parry sleep away from them until he has gained their trust.
No one knew at the time that what began as a local wildfire would quickly come to decimate our city; a beloved small town within the larger landscape of L.A.
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