David Lindenmayer, a professor of ecology at the Australian National University, says droughts and fires can decimate koala populations.
Source: tatoeba (8353289)
Decimate
/ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/
Synonyms for "decimate" (83 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (17)
annihilatebring to ruinbutchercommit carnagecommit genocidecommit mass murdercondemnconfoundconsumedamndeal destructiondecapitatedemolishdepopulate
Verb(3 words)
Strong matches (25)
Related words (41)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: annihilate, annihilate, bring to ruin, butcher, carry off.
- Sentence evidence is available for decimate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, derived_reverse, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "decimate".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "decimate"
Keep "decimate" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "decimate" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "decimate", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "decimate" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesMore specific
5 entriesbudget cutmilitary executionpopulation declinepunitive executionworkforce reduction
Collocations
6 entriesbiodiversity decimationdataset decimationdecimation ratepopulation decimationresource decimationworkforce decimation
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriessimilar
6 entriesTranslations
16 translations across 11 languages.
Catalan
2 entries- delmar verb (to reduce by one-tenth)
- delmar verb (to severely reduce)
Dutch
1 entries- decimeren verb (to severely reduce)
Finnish
2 entries- hävittää verb (to severely reduce)
- lähes tuhota verb (to severely reduce)
Hungarian
1 entries- megtizedel verb (to severely reduce)
Māori
1 entries- whakawhiri verb (to severely reduce)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- قیرمق verb (to severely reduce)
Portuguese
1 entries- dizimar verb (to severely reduce)
Russian
2 entries- истребля́ть verb (to severely reduce)
- опустошать verb (to severely reduce)
Spanish
1 entries- diezmar verb (to severely reduce)
Swedish
1 entries- decimera verb (to severely reduce)
Turkish
3 entries- azaltmak verb (to severely reduce)
- biçmek verb (to severely reduce)
- kırmak verb (to severely reduce)
Sample sentences
28 total sentences available.
Our team will decimate yours on the field tomorrow.
Source: tatoeba (8983360)
In order to justify its war crimes, the United States bombards and annihilates entire countries in the name of liberty and democracy. Of course, companies that sell missiles to the Pentagon, as well as mercenary companies, have very little to do with liberty and democracy. In order to have more petroleum, the American economy needs to decimate millions of lives, and these wars are also beneficial to companies that sell weapons or rent out killers.
Source: tatoeba (10658687)
Hezbollah has the potential to decimate Israeli forces inside Lebanon.
Source: tatoeba (11578770)
Showing 4 of 28 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "decimate"?
Closest matches include annihilate, annihilate, bring to ruin, butcher, carry off.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "decimate"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.