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
To meet the growing challenge of drone threats, Velodyne Space has introduced a non-destructive drone-catching system, and presented it — complete with video of the system in operation, at CES 2026 — the Consumer Electronics Show.
—
Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Certain trees are more destructive to pipes, potentially forcing you to replace sewer lines for thousands of dollars.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
The couple were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine, along with possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
And yet because fracturing seems so destructive, almost antithetical to growth, it has only recently been recognized as a way of shaping tissues, summed up in the recent review paper co-authored by Priya, Torres-Sánchez, Santos-Oliván, and Chan.
—Clare Watson, Quanta Magazine, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
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Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Certain trees are more destructive to pipes, potentially forcing you to replace sewer lines for thousands of dollars.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
The couple were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine, along with possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 27 Feb. 2026
And yet because fracturing seems so destructive, almost antithetical to growth, it has only recently been recognized as a way of shaping tissues, summed up in the recent review paper co-authored by Priya, Torres-Sánchez, Santos-Oliván, and Chan.
—Clare Watson, Quanta Magazine, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destructive. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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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