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des·pot·ic adjective : of, relating to, or characteristic of a despot

Synonyms

authoritarian, autocratic, bossy, dictatorial, domineering, imperious, masterful, overbearing, peremptory, tyrannical, tyrannous—more at BOSSY

des·po·tism noun : a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power

Synonyms

autocracy, dictatorship, totalitarianism, tyranny; also monarchy; fascism; domination, oppression

des·sert noun : a course of sweet food, fruit, or cheese served at the close of a meal

des·ti·na·tion noun 1 : a purpose for which something is destined

2 : an act of appointing, setting aside for a purpose, or predetermining

3 : a place to which one is journeying or to which something is sent

des·tine verb des·tined; des·tin·ing 1 : to settle in advance

2 : to designate, assign, or dedicate in advance

3 : to direct or set apart for a specific purpose or place

Synonyms

doom, fate, foredoom, foreordain, ordain, predestine; also forecast, foretell, predict, prognosticate, prophesy; preconceive, prejudge; condemn, sentence

des·ti·ny noun, plural -nies 1 : something to which a person or thing is destined : FATE

2 : a predetermined course of events

Synonyms

circumstance, doom, fate, fortune, lot, portion—more at FATE

des·ti·tute adjective 1 : lacking something needed or desirable

2 : suffering extreme poverty

Synonyms

[2] broke, devoid, impecunious, indigent, needy, penniless, penurious, poor, poverty-stricken—more at POOR

des·ti·tu·tion noun : the state of being destitute

Synonyms

beggary, impecuniousness, impoverishment, indigence, need, pauperism, penury, poverty, want—more at POVERTY

de·stroy verb 1 : to put an end to : RUIN

2 : to deprive of life : KILL

Synonyms

[1] annihilate, blot out, demolish, desolate, devastate, do in, exterminate, extinguish, obliterate, pulverize, ruin, shatter, smash, tear down, waste, wipe out, wreck; also gut; beat, best, clobber, conquer, crush, defeat, lick, master, overcome, prevail (over), stamp (out), subdue, surmount, thrash, triumph (over), win (against); blow up, break, damage, deface, disintegrate, dynamite, mangle, mar, mutilate, spoil, vitiate; erode, scour, wash out, wear (away); dismantle, undo; eradicate, remove, rub out; despoil, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack, vandalize; assassinate, butcher, cut down, dispatch, execute, kill, massacre, murder, slaughter, slay, zap

Antonyms

build, construct, erect, put up, raise

[2] dispatch, do in, fell, kill, slay—more at KILL

de·stroy·er noun 1 : one that destroys

2 : a small speedy warship

de·struc·ti·ble adjective : capable of being destroyed

— de·struc·ti·bil·i·ty noun

de·struc·tion noun 1 : the state or fact of being destroyed : RUIN

2 : the action or process of destroying something

3 : a destroying agency

Synonyms

annihilation, demolition, desolation, devastation, havoc, loss, obliteration, ruin, wastage, wreckage; also depredation, despoliation, despoilment; breakup, disintegration, dissolution; assassination, execution, killing, massacre, slaughter

Antonyms

building, construction, erection, raising

de·struc·tive adjective 1 : causing destruction : RUINOUS

2 : designed or tending to destroy

— de·struc·tive·ly adverb

— de·struc·tive·ness noun

Synonyms

[1, 2] calamitous, devastating, disastrous, ruinous; also deadly, fatal, lethal, mortal, vital; deleterious, detrimental, harmful, pernicious

Antonyms

constructive

de·sue·tude noun : DISUSE

des·ul·to·ry adjective : passing aimlessly from one thing or subject to another

Synonyms

aimless, arbitrary, erratic, haphazard, random, scattered, stray—more at RANDOM

det abbreviation 1 detached; detachment

2 detail

de·tach verb 1 : to separate esp. from a larger mass

2 : DISENGAGE, WITHDRAW

— de·tach·able adjective

de·tached adjective 1 : not joined or connected : SEPARATE

2 : exhibiting an aloof objectivity

Synonyms

[1] disconnected, discrete, freestanding,