desolate vs destroy

desolate is an adjective but destroy is not an adjective.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
desolate	No	Yes	Yes	No
destroy	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, destroy is a hypernym of desolate; that is, destroy is a word with a broader meaning than desolate:

Other hypernyms of desolate include ruin.

desolate (adjective)	destroy (adjective)
crushed by grief
providing no shelter or sustenance

desolate (verb)	destroy (verb)
reduce in population	defeat soundly and humiliatingly
cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly	destroy completely; damage irreparably
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch	put (an animal) to death
	do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of