I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
Source: tatoeba (663638)
Destroyer
/dəˈstɹɔɪ.ɚ/
Synonyms for "destroyer" (65 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (13)
Strong matches (20)
Noun(7 words)
Related words (32)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: ruiner, animal, annihilator, annihilator, anthropophagite.
- Sentence evidence is available for destroyer, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, 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 "destroyer".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "destroyer"
Keep "destroyer" 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 "destroyer" 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 "destroyer", 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 "destroyer" 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
8 entriesMore specific
12 entriesCollocations
6 entriesdestroyer classdestroyer designdestroyer escortdestroyer hullnaval destroyersurface warfare destroyer
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
46 translations across 33 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- ականակիր noun (type of warship)
Belarusian
2 entries- эска́драны мінано́сец noun (type of warship)
- эсмі́нец noun (type of warship)
Bulgarian
3 entries- еска́дрен миноно́сец noun (type of warship)
- есми́нец noun (type of warship)
- разруши́тел noun (type of warship)
Catalan
1 entries- destructor noun (type of warship)
Chinese
1 entries- 驅逐艦 /驱逐舰 noun (type of warship)
Chinese Cantonese
1 entries- 驅逐艦 /驱逐舰 noun (type of warship)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 驅逐艦 /驱逐舰 noun (type of warship)
Czech
1 entries- torpédoborec noun (type of warship)
Esperanto
1 entries- destrojero noun (type of warship)
Finnish
1 entries- hävittäjä noun (type of warship)
French
2 entries- contre-torpilleur noun (type of warship)
- destroyer noun (type of warship)
Georgian
2 entries- გამანადგურებელი noun (type of warship)
- საესკადრო ნაღმოსანი noun (type of warship)
German
1 entries- Zerstörer noun (type of warship)
Greek
1 entries- αντιτορπιλικό noun (type of warship)
Hebrew
1 entries- מַשְׁחֶתֶת noun (type of warship)
Hungarian
4 entries- romboló noun (type of warship)
- rombolóhajó noun (type of warship)
- torpedónaszád-romboló noun (type of warship)
- torpedóromboló noun (type of warship)
Italian
1 entries- cacciatorpediniere noun (type of warship)
Japanese
1 entries- 駆逐艦 noun (type of warship)
Korean
1 entries- 구축함 noun (type of warship)
Macedonian
1 entries- разурнувач noun (type of warship)
Malay
1 entries- kapal pembinasa noun (type of warship)
Marathi
2 entries- डिस्ट्रॉयर noun (type of warship)
- विनाशिका noun (type of warship)
Norwegian Bokmål
2 entries- destroyer noun (type of warship)
- jager noun (type of warship)
Persian
1 entries- ناوشکن noun (type of warship)
Polish
1 entries- niszczyciel noun (type of warship)
Portuguese
1 entries- contratorpedeiro noun (type of warship)
Russian
2 entries- эска́дренный миноно́сец noun (type of warship)
- эсми́нец noun (type of warship)
Slovak
1 entries- torpédoborec noun (type of warship)
Slovene
1 entries- rušilec noun (type of warship)
Spanish
1 entries- destructor noun (type of warship)
Swedish
1 entries- jagare noun (type of warship)
Ukrainian
2 entries- еска́дрений міноно́сець noun (type of warship)
- есмі́нець noun (type of warship)
Vietnamese
2 entries- khu trục hạm noun (type of warship)
- tàu khu trục noun (type of warship)
Sample sentences
12 total sentences available.
Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
Source: tatoeba (664047)
"But I just did. I came here to tell you." "Me? Am I supposed to put a stop to Lord Pinku Reiga, mightiest of the Four Weepy Lords, slayer of some 320 men, destroyer of the imperial wheelchairs?!"
Source: tatoeba (2904649)
Shepard served on a destroyer during World War II.
Source: tatoeba (3958981)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "destroyer"?
Closest matches include ruiner, animal, annihilator, annihilator, anthropophagite.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "destroyer"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.