to destroy
diaphtheiro denotes bringing things to ruin, including destructive harm and a corrupted or deteriorating condition.
The attested uses chiefly describe destructive ruin affecting possessions, ships, or the earth; they also describe a damaged condition of the outer person and of minds.
Senses in use
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Destructive ruin of things or the earth · dominant
In Luke 12:33, the present active form occurs where moth damage is excluded from heavenly treasure. In Revelation 11:18, the aorist infinitive and present participle describe destroying those who destroy the earth, while in Revelation 8:9 the aorist passive form occurs in the report that ships were destroyed.
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Damaged or corrupted personal condition · common
In 2 Corinthians 4:16, the present passive form describes the outer human as undergoing destruction while the inner self is renewed. In 1 Timothy 6:5, the perfect passive participle qualifies people whose minds are described in the APB as corrupt.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the destructive contexts with “destroys” and “destroyed,” and presents the personal-condition contexts as “being destroyed” and “corrupt mind.” These renderings confirm the clauses' overall portrayal rather than assigning a fixed English equivalent to each form.