- 1[usually passive] decimate something to kill large numbers of animals, plants, or people in a particular area The rabbit population was decimated by the disease.
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- 2decimate something (informal) to severely damage something or make something weaker Cheap imports decimated the American auto industry.
decimate
verbNAmE//ˈdɛsəˌmeɪt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they decimate he / she / it decimates
past simple decimated
-ing form decimating
NAmE//ˌdɛsəˈmeɪʃn//
noun [uncountable]See decimate in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: decimate