decimating

Definitions

Killing, destroying, or removing a large proportion of a group or population.

Drastically reducing the strength or effectiveness of something.

Examples

The invasive species is decimating the local bird population by destroying their natural habitats.

The sudden economic downturn ended up decimating the small business sector in the downtown area.

Synonyms

devastating annihilating destroying demolishing ravaging slaughtering ruining

Antonyms

building creating restoring preserving constructing reviving nurturing