sabotage
[noun]
Synonyms:
- damage, destruction, disruption, subversion, wrecking
[verb]
Synonyms:
- damage, destroy, disable, disrupt, incapacitate, subvert, vandalize, wreck

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Contrasted words: assist, back, support
Related Idioms: throw a monkey wrench into
Related Words: subversiveness, subversivism, damage, impairment, injury, frustrate, hamper, hinder, block, obstruct, break up, destroy

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English Thesaurus: damage, harm, spoil, vandalize, sabotage, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. sab‧o‧tage¹ /ˈsæbətɑːʒ/ verb [transitive]

1. to secretly damage or destroy equipment, vehicles etc that belong to an enemy or opponent, so that they cannot be used:
Every single plane had been sabotaged.

2. to deliberately spoil someone’s plans because you do not want them to succeed:
Demonstrators have sabotaged the conference.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. sabotage² noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: saboter 'to walk along noisily, do work badly, sabotage', from sabot 'wooden shoe']
deliberate damage that is done to equipment, vehicles etc in order to prevent an enemy or opponent from using them:
The terrorists were planning acts of sabotage to destabilize the country.
industrial sabotage

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

sabotage
noun
ADJ. deliberate, planned | economic, industrial They conducted a campaign of economic sabotage.
SABOTAGE + NOUN attempt | raid
PHRASES an act of sabotage

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

sabotage
verb
ADV. deliberately They accused him of deliberately sabotaging the peace talks.
VERB + SABOTAGE attempt to, try to They had tried to sabotage our plans.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

damage to cause physical harm to something or someone, or have a bad effect on them:
Several buildings were damaged by the earthquake.
The other car wasn’t damaged.
The scandal could damage his career.
harm to have a bad effect on something:
They use chemicals that will harm the environment.
The oil crisis could harm the economy.
spoil to have a bad effect on something and make it less successful, enjoyable, useful etc:
We didn’t let the rain spoil our holiday.
Local people say the new buildings will spoil the view.
vandalize to deliberately damage buildings, vehicles, or public property:
All the public telephones in the area had been vandalized.
sabotage /ˈsæbətɑːʒ/ to secretly damage machines or equipment so that they cannot be used, especially in order to harm an enemy:
There is evidence that the airplane was sabotaged.
tamper with something to deliberately and illegally damage or change a part of something in order to prevent it from working properly:
The car’s brakes had been tampered with.
desecrate to damage a church or other holy place:
The church had been desecrated by vandals.
deface /dɪˈfeɪs/ to deliberately spoil the appearance of something by writing on it, spraying paint on it etc:
Someone had defaced the statue and painted it bright orange.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲