dɛθ ˌdɛm.əˈlɪʃən ˌdɪsˈtɹʌkʃən ˌdɛ.vəˈsteɪ.ʃən ɛnd the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists an event that completely destroys something a final state he came to a bad end the so-called glorious experiment came to an inglorious end