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
Some Specials are destructive, like Pink Kirby’s rampaging sword; others are about speed, like Rick’s ability to hop off his Machine and run his little legs at 100 miles per hour.
—
Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
Last year, Joshua took on another boxing novice in former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, a man known for his toughness and destructive power in the octagon.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
In 2025 these infamous katabatic winds, rushing down from the desert, were said to have been directly responsible for the spread of an unprecedented cluster of wildfires in Pasadena, Altadena, and Malibu, by far the most destructive, costly, and tragic in the region’s history.
—Literary Hub, 19 Nov. 2025
Despite their absence, the shadow of ILCO’s destructive legacy continues to haunt the island.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
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Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
Last year, Joshua took on another boxing novice in former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, a man known for his toughness and destructive power in the octagon.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
In 2025 these infamous katabatic winds, rushing down from the desert, were said to have been directly responsible for the spread of an unprecedented cluster of wildfires in Pasadena, Altadena, and Malibu, by far the most destructive, costly, and tragic in the region’s history.
—Literary Hub, 19 Nov. 2025
Despite their absence, the shadow of ILCO’s destructive legacy continues to haunt the island.
—JSTOR Daily, 19 Nov. 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 25 Nov. 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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