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
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2
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
technology used for destructive ends
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destructive
Again, this message gamifies violence and obscures the destructive toll of war.
—
Casey Ryan Kelly, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
These destructive pests do have some enemies.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026
But environmentalists say the project is a destructive boondoggle.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
His destructive idea was that the tariffs were needed because the largest economy in the world should have no trade deficits with any other country on the planet.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Casey Ryan Kelly, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
These destructive pests do have some enemies.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026
But environmentalists say the project is a destructive boondoggle.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
His destructive idea was that the tariffs were needed because the largest economy in the world should have no trade deficits with any other country on the planet.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
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To lose a single service member is just a devastating blow.—
ALLEN G. BREED,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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Trump told Fox that Iran has only about 150 missile launchers left, or about 20% of its original total, after waves of devastating attacks on Iran’s military and civilian infrastructure.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And as someone who has done this a long time, Musselman understands that the responsibility for the team’s disastrous stretch run ultimately falls squarely on his shoulders.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Noem’s dissmissal comes after she was berated by lawmakers on Capitol Hill over a series of disastrous blunders by her department, including the killings of two American citizens by border patrol agents in Minneapolis and apparent attempts by DHS to stifle investigations into the shootings.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The man’s death marks Kansas City’s 24th homicide of 2026, compared to 26 at this time last year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
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According to the city's police department, the fatal accident occurred at 1990 S Flamingo Road.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Celta’s experienced striker Borja Iglesias equalized for the home side with his third goal in four games after 25 minutes, and strike partner Iago Aspas was unfortunate to see his shot come back off the post with two minutes remaining as both sides pushed for a winner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos.—
Miriam Balanescu,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And despite volatility across markets, oil prices don’t seem to be creeping back toward catastrophic levels.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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And in some cases, going up against her has resulted in a nearly catastrophic loss in follower count.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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