being destroyed over

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "being destroyed over" is not correct and may lead to confusion in written English.
It could be used in contexts discussing the reasons or causes behind something being destroyed, but it requires additional context for clarity. Example: "The ancient ruins are being destroyed over the construction of the new highway."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Careers are being destroyed over this!

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I once sat through an all-night movie feature in a downtown LA theater and watched five movies in a row where Los Angeles was destroyed over and over again.

Huffington Post

I bet you he's destroyed over this".

The New York Times

Residents said as many as eight buildings had been destroyed over two weeks.

The New York Times

It added that it "cannot say with certainty that no such documents have been destroyed over the past seventeen years".

The New York Times

Even so, he says he's destroyed over 75% of the work he's done through the years.

The Guardian - Arts

"It would be really a shame if an artist's career was destroyed over something that isn't true," Mr. Gelb said.

The New York Times - Arts

In December 1988 an American commercial aircraft was destroyed over Scotland, and neither the United States nor Great Britain initially could identify the terrorist organization involved.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In a letter documenting Mr. Flynn's charges, written by his lawyer, Gary J. Aguirre, he maintains that at least 9,000 case files were destroyed over the last two decades.

The New York Times

They form, evolve, and are destroyed over periods of time ranging from a few tens of thousands to a few million years.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Besides this, one of the main tasks is raising the level of specialized education, which has been destroyed over the last 20 years.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing causes of destruction, prefer more precise prepositions such as "because of", "due to", or "as a result of" instead of "over" for enhanced clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "over" to indicate the direct cause of something being destroyed. This usage is grammatically unconventional and can confuse readers. Instead, opt for prepositions that explicitly denote causation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "being destroyed over" functions as a passive construction where something is undergoing destruction due to a specified reason or cause. However, this usage is considered grammatically incorrect as noted by Ludwig AI. A more appropriate construction would utilize prepositions like "because of" or "due to" to clearly indicate causation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

25%

Encyclopedias

20%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "being destroyed over" attempts to express causation in the context of destruction, it's grammatically unconventional and often unclear. Ludwig AI identifies it as an incorrect construction. More precise alternatives, such as "destroyed because of" or "ruined due to", are recommended for clearer communication. Although the phrase appears across various source types including News & Media, Encyclopedias and Wiki, its infrequent usage and grammatical ambiguity suggest avoiding it in formal writing. Opting for clearer alternatives ensures your message is accurately conveyed. Choose carefully synonyms and always double check grammar and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

destroyed because of

Replaces "over" with a more direct causal preposition.

ruined due to

Substitutes "destroyed" with "ruined" to soften the impact and uses "due to" for causation.

damaged by

Replaces "destroyed" with "damaged" to lessen the severity and uses "by" for causation.

obliterated as a result of

Uses more formal vocabulary to indicate complete destruction and its cause.

lost due to

Employs "lost" to imply destruction and "due to" to specify the reason.

vanished because of

Replaces "destroyed" with "vanished" to suggest disappearance and uses "because of" for causation.

taken down by

Suggests destruction via force or removal caused by something.

eliminated through

Implies a more systematic destruction process.

brought down by

Indicates destruction caused by an external force or factor.

eradicated as a consequence of

Expresses thorough destruction with formal language, indicating a resulting effect.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically sound way to say something was "being destroyed over" something else?

Alternatives include phrases like "being destroyed because of", "being ruined due to", or "being damaged by". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to use "over" to show the reason something was destroyed?

While understandable in some contexts, using "over" to indicate causation in the phrase "being destroyed" is not grammatically conventional. It's better to use prepositions like "because of" or "due to" for clearer communication.

How can I rephrase "being destroyed over" to sound more formal?

Consider using phrases such as "obliterated as a result of" or "eradicated as a consequence of". These alternatives provide a more sophisticated and precise expression of the idea.

What's the difference between "being destroyed over" and "destroyed by"?

"Being destroyed over" suggests a less direct causal relationship and is grammatically questionable. "Destroyed by", on the other hand, clearly indicates the agent or cause of destruction and is the standard and more correct usage.