sabotage 1 of 2

noun

Definition of sabotagenext
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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

sabotage

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to thwart

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to destroy

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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
Directed by Takahiro Hasui, the latest installment in the franchise tracks Conan Edogawa investigating high-speed vehicular sabotage on an expressway network. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026 Any peace process will face inevitable setbacks and sabotage attempts, and so the parties must be committed to talks to get them over the line. — Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
Here are five ideas that may have been drilled into you growing up that could sabotage your success — and what to do instead. — Melody Wilding, CNBC, 9 Aug. 2026 Redefine What Success Actually Looks Like One of the most common ways professionals sabotage their own brand-building efforts is by measuring success purely in follower counts or download numbers. — Kwame Christian Esq, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sabotage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabotage
  1. destruction
  2. thwart
  3. destroy
  4. wrecking
  5. frustrate
  6. ruin
  7. foil
  8. wreck
Noun
  • The deadly wall of water that descended from the mountains on the border between Nepal and Tibet caused destruction at least 62 miles downriver from the border in Nepal, an ABC News analysis of verified video and satellite images shows.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has also promoted the destruction of Iran's nuclear facilities and navy, and the reduction in missile and drone capabilities, as measures of success.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of destruction
Verb
  • After Jackson helped thwart a terror attack in Times Square in 2010, to his surprise, Parton came to visit him again after seeing him on TV.
    — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • As the writer and the actor spend time together, and the narrator tries to pry open some small window into M’s psyche, the process of gathering material is constantly being thwarted by M’s casual instructability.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of thwart
Verb
  • Almost 50 homes and other structures have been destroyed so far; there have been several injuries, and one of Tibbetts’s neighbors lost 20 German shepherds.
    — Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The flood then destroyed roads and knocked out power and phone networks, leaving families unable to establish even the most basic facts.
    — Laura Saravia, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroy
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Definition of wrecking
Verb
  • Conservative political analyst Melik Abdul agreed with Tindell, telling CNN as a Black Mississippi native he has been frustrated by how Crump has zeroed in on race in the Wells case.
    — Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Jolly has pitched himself to voters as someone offering a tent for Floridians who are independents, Republicans and Democrats frustrated with the status quo of a political zeitgeist that prioritizes polarization and stokes riots rather than uniting.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrate
Verb
  • But if clouds ruin your view — or the moon is below the horizon at the time of the eclipse — there's no need to fret!
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The news of the relationship almost ruined the church, which quickly began hemorrhaging members.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • Their schemes are foiled when real feelings enter the picture.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Unfortunately, the start of World War I just 20 days before the eclipse foiled the expedition.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of foil
Verb
  • In addition, Moscow continued its efforts to wreck the Ukrainian power grid before the freezing winter months.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But in a case of life imitating art, the show’s entire publicity strategy was inadvertently wrecked by a real-life aristocrat, after reports leaked that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was being eyed for a role in the series.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of wreck

Browse Nearby Words

sables
sabotage
sabotaged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sabotage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabotage. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sabotage

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about 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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All