de ‧ struc ‧ tion W3 /dɪˈstrʌkʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ destroyer , ↑ destruction ; adjective : ↑ indestructible , ↑ destructive ; verb : ↑ destroy ; adverb : ↑ destructively ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: destructus , past participle of destruere ; ⇨ ↑ destroy ]
the act or process of destroying something or of being destroyed ⇨ destroy
destruction of
the destruction of the rainforest
weapons of mass destruction
the environmental destruction caused by the road building programme
The floods brought death and destruction to the area.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + destruction
▪ total/complete destruction
In a populated area, a wave that high would cause total destruction.
▪ wholesale destruction formal (=total)
It was an act of war, the wholesale destruction of a city.
▪ wanton destruction (=done deliberately and without caring about it)
People were shocked by the wanton destruction that occurred during the riots.
▪ environmental destruction
The islands are already threatened by environmental destruction.
▪ forest/rainforest destruction
a Brazilian report on rainforest destruction
▪ habitat destruction (=of the natural homes of plants and animals)
Habitat destruction has reduced elephant herds in central Africa.
▪ widespread destruction
The rains caused widespread destruction to crops.
▪ great/massive destruction
Much of the city was rebuilt after the massive destruction of World War II.
▪ ozone destruction
Ozone destruction is most severe over the Antarctic due to climatic and atmospheric extremes.
■ verbs
▪ cause/lead to/bring about destruction
It's clear that the bomb was intended to cause death and destruction.
▪ wreak destruction formal (=cause destruction)
The destruction wrought by the hurricane left thousands of people homeless.
■ phrases
▪ weapons of mass destruction (=weapons intended to cause a lot of death and destruction)
The country is believed to have the potential to develop weapons of mass destruction.
▪ a trail of destruction (=a long line of things that have been destroyed)
The accident, involving five vehicles, caused a trail of destruction on the motorway.