destructive
adjective
de·struc·tive
di-ˈstrək-tiv 
1
: causing destruction : ruinous
destructive storm
2
: designed or tending to hurt or destroy
destructive criticism
destructively
adverb
destructiveness
noun
Examples of destructive in a Sentence
It was one of the most destructive storms in recent memory.
She argued that the law was destructive of personal liberties.
The school is concerned about the destructive behavior of a few students.
Recent Examples on the Web
High-ranking German officials recognized what many contemporaries refused to see: that passive compliance with destructive systems was itself a moral choice.
—
Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
In the wake of the record-breaking wildfires in Los Angeles in January—some of the most expensive and destructive blazes in history—one of the first things California governor Gavin Newsom did was to sign an executive order suspending environmental rules around rebuilding.
—Umair Irfan, Wired News, 19 July 2025
From the Miami Surfside condo collapse to the destructive fires in Maui and Los Angeles and countless floods and tornadoes, these days the steady drumbeat of disasters has been relentless, Hymel said.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
The report's release came as firefighters worked to contain the destructive Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
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Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
In the wake of the record-breaking wildfires in Los Angeles in January—some of the most expensive and destructive blazes in history—one of the first things California governor Gavin Newsom did was to sign an executive order suspending environmental rules around rebuilding.
—Umair Irfan, Wired News, 19 July 2025
From the Miami Surfside condo collapse to the destructive fires in Maui and Los Angeles and countless floods and tornadoes, these days the steady drumbeat of disasters has been relentless, Hymel said.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
The report's release came as firefighters worked to contain the destructive Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destructive. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
destructive
adjective
de·struc·tive
di-ˈstrək-tiv
1
: causing destruction : ruinous
a destructive storm
2
: designed or tending to hurt or destroy
destructive criticism
destructively
adverb
destructiveness
noun
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