decimate
verb
dec·i·mate
ˈde-sə-ˌmāt 
decimated; decimating
1
: to select by lot and kill every tenth man of
decimate a regiment
2
: to exact a tax of 10 percent from
poor as a decimated Cavalier—
John Dryden
John Dryden3
a
: to reduce drastically especially in number
cholera decimated the population
Kamieniecki's return comes at a crucial time for a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries.—Jason Diamos
Jason Diamos
b
: to cause great destruction or harm to
firebombs decimated the city
an industry decimated by recession
Did you know?
The connection between decimate and the number ten harks back to a brutal practice of the army of ancient Rome. A unit that was guilty of a severe crime (such as mutiny) was punished by selecting and executing one-tenth of its soldiers, thereby scaring the remaining nine-tenths into obedience. The word comes from Latin decem, meaning "ten." Decimate strayed from its "tenth" meaning and nowadays refers to the act of destroying or hurting something in great numbers.
Examples of decimate in a Sentence
This kind of moth is responsible for decimating thousands of trees in our town.
Budget cuts have decimated public services in small towns.
Recent Examples on the Web
The cuts also decimated many of the agency's top recruits, enlisted through a program known as the Cyber Talent Management System, plus analysts with top-secret security clearances.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
The outbreak also decimated local reindeer populations, with over 2,300 animals succumbing to the disease.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Musk heads up the new and controversial Department of Government Efficiency, which seeks to decimate the size of the federal workforce and reduce government spending.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
This administration cannot decimate a program such as the VA and not expect real harm to come to my friend and to your friends and loved ones.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
The outbreak also decimated local reindeer populations, with over 2,300 animals succumbing to the disease.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Musk heads up the new and controversial Department of Government Efficiency, which seeks to decimate the size of the federal workforce and reduce government spending.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
This administration cannot decimate a program such as the VA and not expect real harm to come to my friend and to your friends and loved ones.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decimate
Articles Related to decimate
Cite this Entry
“Decimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decimate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decimate
verb
dec·i·mate
ˈdes-ə-ˌmāt
decimated; decimating
1
: to pick by lot and kill every tenth man of
the Roman army would decimate a legion for cowardice
2
: to destroy a large part of
a population decimated by an epidemic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share