decimated Definition
- 1kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of something
- 2drastically reduce the strength or effectiveness of something
Using decimated: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "decimated" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The hurricane decimated the small town.
Example
The disease has decimated the population.
Example
The team was decimated by injuries.
Example
The company's profits were decimated by the recession.
decimated Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for decimated
- devastate
- annihilate
- eradicate
- obliterate
- exterminate
Antonyms for decimated
Phrases with decimated
Example
The company had to decimate its workforce by a factor of 50% due to financial difficulties.
decimate a population
kill or destroy a large proportion of a population
Example
The Black Death decimated the European population in the 14th century.
decimate an army
kill or destroy a large proportion of an army
Example
The opposing army was decimated by the surprise attack.
Origins of decimated
from Latin 'decimare', meaning 'to take a tenth'
Summary: decimated in Brief
The verb 'decimated' [ˈdɛsɪmeɪtɪd] means to kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of something, or to drastically reduce its strength or effectiveness. It can be used in various contexts, such as natural disasters, diseases, injuries, and economic downturns. Phrases like 'decimate by a factor of' and 'decimate a population' illustrate the extent of destruction, while 'decimate an army' refers to military contexts.