sabotage 1 of 2

as in destruction
the act of destroying or damaging something deliberately so that it does not work correctly Angry workers were responsible for the sabotage of the machines. Officials have not yet ruled out sabotage as a possible cause of the crash.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sabotage

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sabotage
Noun
Moscow has also been linked with the sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025 This comes after a series of assassinations, sabotage attacks and hacking campaigns that Russia has prosecuted in Europe. Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
When footage of the Koran in flames winds up getting stolen from an apartment belonging to Yigit and Lilith, Elif has to find a way to save her own skin while preventing a major scandal from sabotaging the whole movie. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025 But also potentially between them, with their differing outlooks on life, all of the modern obstacles to love, and their sometimes well-meaning, sometimes sabotaging families — including her sister Morgan (Justine Lupe) and brother Sasha (Simons). Denise Petski, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sabotage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabotage
Noun
  • But when a new threat presents itself, the group reunites to figure out their mission and prevent Earth’s destruction.
    Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • For many historians and museums, documenting the destruction is a significant part of the restoration process.
    Leah Asmelash, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The latter, with hundreds of billions worth of military equipment from the U.S. and Europe, thwarted much of Russia’s incursion into Ukraine during the three-year war.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Each side involved must marshal the supplies, troops and firepower needed to sustain the fight, thwart advancing armies and, hopefully, prevail.
    Benjamin Jensen, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Lost in a sea of ash: When wildfire destroys a home — and a loved one’s urn — the search begins.
    Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025
  • This is a major U-turn from Riot, after completely revamping the rewards system at the start of the year and being destroyed by fans for it.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Struggling to adapt to announcements regarding trade, and whether to treat them as threats that may not evolve into policy, has frustrated Hassane El-Khoury, CEO of ON Semiconductor.
    Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The use of generic, impersonal responses frustrates customers.
    Rob Lancit, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Alli Jo adds that the kids left school to appear on the date with Grant and the ladies, so Zoe ruined their day, too.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • That’s enough to foil any forensic recovery software.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Don't be surprised when a lot of people responsible for foiling terrorist plots and catching killers decide to do just that.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • With the Trop's roof wrecked by Hurricane Milton, the Rays will play at Tampa's George M. Steinbrenner Field.
    Jeff Weiner, Axios, 10 Mar. 2025
  • A lot of people get too ambitious, head to the back tees, and end up absolutely wrecked by the course.
    David Hochman, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • However, in some cases, such as capturing and restraining a wild animal to relocate it, workers use tranquilizers or sedatives to make the animal sleepy, or cover its eyes and ears to reduce fear and prevent long-lasting problems.
    Rachel Blaser, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Guards restrained them with handcuffs on their feet and hands.
    Federico Rios, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sabotage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabotage. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sabotage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!