1
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
the destructive storm blew down trees all over town, and blew the roof off our neighbor's house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
technology used for destructive ends
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destructive
Orr looks poised to lead a creative, destructive and stingy defense.
—
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2025
Nor does the movie seem to understand how destructive, manipulative and dishonest Rachel can be.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
These dogs will need a lot of entertainment throughout the day to avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
And in 1995, a former soldier commandeered a tank in San Diego, leading police of a destructive, city-wide chase.
—Dell Cameron, Wired News, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2025
Nor does the movie seem to understand how destructive, manipulative and dishonest Rachel can be.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
These dogs will need a lot of entertainment throughout the day to avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
And in 1995, a former soldier commandeered a tank in San Diego, leading police of a destructive, city-wide chase.
—Dell Cameron, Wired News, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
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Murray suffered what is perhaps the most devastating injury for an athlete to sustain in a game against the Boston Celtics.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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This type of behavior is completely unacceptable anywhere and the fact that this happened at one of our shows was devastating to learn about.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This came after multiple failures in recent years — including three disastrous explosions in 2025 alone.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, Russia is having a disastrous harvest despite being an agricultural powerhouse, putting further pressure on the economy and the Kremlin’s finances.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Peacock 'Sharp Corner' This unsettling thriller features Ben Foster as a man who becomes overly obsessed with the fatal car crashes that happen at a sharp corner in the road in front of his new home.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
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Gaines said the department’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team was investigating the fatal crash and had not determined whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the traffic collision.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Unlike its cousin, the shaker glass, an unfortunate bar staple across the globe, a good pub glass usually holds 20 ounces of beer and has a flair in the upper body that allows aromas and flavors to blossom.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
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There’s way, way more to this score than Macca’s unfortunate attempt at a Jamaican accent in the title song.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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