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
The governor faces federal charges, including narcotics importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, along with another conspiracy count.
—
CBS News, 2 May 2026
Last October, federal prosecutors charged Jonathan Rinderknecht with arson for allegedly starting a fire that later developed into the destructive Palisades Fire in California.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
QuickTake The fire, one of the most destructive in California history, has also led to a flurry of lawsuits against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Water, the biggest municipal utility in the US.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Defined by her beauty and its capacity to both beguile and betray, she can be interpreted as a destructive force and personification of the male fear of female autonomy.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
CBS News, 2 May 2026
Last October, federal prosecutors charged Jonathan Rinderknecht with arson for allegedly starting a fire that later developed into the destructive Palisades Fire in California.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
QuickTake The fire, one of the most destructive in California history, has also led to a flurry of lawsuits against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Water, the biggest municipal utility in the US.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Defined by her beauty and its capacity to both beguile and betray, she can be interpreted as a destructive force and personification of the male fear of female autonomy.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
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The virus that is believed to be responsible for the deaths of three people and the illnesses of three others aboard a cruise ship over the weekend is a relatively rare but devastating threat without a vaccine, treatment or cure.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
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What happened this week is nothing less than a massive and devastating blow, not only to our democracy, but particularly to people of color in the South.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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Too much of it can be disastrous for the local ecosystems, leading to issues like algal blooms.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
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The Lakers coach couldn’t even sub fast enough before Ayton’s two-handed frustration shove of Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell put a disappointing punctuation mark on a disastrous 19-second stretch for the Lakers starting center.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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Homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shootings of three adults in Baldwin Park last week — two of whom were a married couple, officials said, who were being mourned by their college-age children.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Police have arrested a man on murder and firearm charges in connection with a fatal shooting in Stratford earlier this month.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Lee said the incident is especially unfortunate, given the good work VCH does.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
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This is unfortunate and, from your telling, needlessly aggressive.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Artists and arts organizations have derided Gloria’s cuts, calling them a catastrophic blow to communities and the city’s culture.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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At its peak, some areas were moving more than a foot a week, causing catastrophic damage.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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