滅ぼす

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The godan transitive verb 滅ぼす (ほろぼす) means destroying a realm, society, or population so that it no longer survives.
• Basic usage: The destroyed target takes を, as in 世界を滅ぼす, and intent appears in 滅ぼそうとする.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A transitive act of destruction
  • It is transitive: a force or cause destroys another entity rather than the entity perishing on its own.