SABOTAGE Synonyms: 130 Similar and Opposite Words

sabotage 1 of 2

noun

Definition of sabotage

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.

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sabotage

2 of 2

verb

as in to thwart

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Dissimilar Words

as in to destroy

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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

European leaders fear Moscow's wider ambitions on the continent and accuse Russia of sabotage as part of a hybrid war. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 On Wednesday, one of them will go on trial in Germany accused of involvement in one of the biggest – and most mysterious – acts of sabotage in modern history. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Verb

In early September, London apprehended a British national hired by the Russian intelligence services to sabotage a drone factory in the United Kingdom. — Franklin C. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 15 Sep. 2026 Trump was furious, believing that Israel was trying to sabotage the talks. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sabotage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabotage

Noun

About 90% of the city was flooded following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, according to the White House.

— Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
The suspect, 27-year-old Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano of Stafford, Virginia, has been charged with felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage, and felony injury to a monument, court records show.

— Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of destruction

Verb

Well, on Monday, Overshown put those doubts to rest by tying for the team lead with six tackles and recording a game-sealing interception in the fourth quarter to thwart a Philadelphia comeback attempt.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026
This bipartisanship on attitudes about AI and data centers appears also to show up in alliances on the ground and, in some cases, in new organizations with a focus on thwarting data centers.

— Barbara A. Trish, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of thwart

Verb

Cities outside Paris have been hit hard by the unrest, including Limoges where a fire nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Animal diseases also threaten our economy and food system, destroying more than 20% of global livestock production each year.

— Robert Kelly, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

Some of his closest Middle East advisers, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, had grown frustrated with the Israeli leader.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
Luka Doncic’s nonstop arguments with officials and trash talk may frustrate opponents, but his theatrical edge is part of what makes the Lakers star so compelling.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of frustrate

Verb

One accidental move could ruin the attempt, requiring a correction at best, and a possible restart at worst.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Others have used it to remove oily stains from their toddlers like crayon marks on carpet, and one reviewer says it’s saved many of their clothes from being ruined in a household with unavoidable messes from both kids and pets.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

At the climax, a handful of right-wing would-be militia men are used as the butt of the joke in an elaborate sequence that’s all about foiling terrorists.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Also — and this could be its killer feature — the Nook fully foiled my squirrels.

— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of foil

Verb

From Miami to Fort Lauderdale, residents struggled through the saltwater suddenly seeping into their neighborhoods and wrecking their commute.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
The 21-year-old from Dallas, who soared to gold in the all-around on Friday after recovering from injuries that wrecked her Olympic hopes in 2021 and again in 2024, hardly looked tired in what has quickly become the meet of her life.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of wreck

Browse Nearby Words

sables

sabotage

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Style

“Sabotage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabotage. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sabotage

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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