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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
technology used for destructive ends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of destructive
Bubbles are bad and destructive.
—
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
The political left also occasionally makes its voice heard at Cannes via climate protesters horrified by the destructive environmental impact of some major companies that spend big dollars to improve their image (and set up shop for the week along the Croisette).
—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
This marks the arrival of the destructive strain on the last continent previously free of it.
—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Los Angeles — After calling more than 30 witnesses over six days of testimony, federal prosecutors this week rested their case in the trial of the man accused of starting the deadly and historically destructive Palisades Fire that scorched swaths of Los Angeles in the early days of 2025.
—
Jack Hannah,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
The political left also occasionally makes its voice heard at Cannes via climate protesters horrified by the destructive environmental impact of some major companies that spend big dollars to improve their image (and set up shop for the week along the Croisette).
—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
This marks the arrival of the destructive strain on the last continent previously free of it.
—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Los Angeles — After calling more than 30 witnesses over six days of testimony, federal prosecutors this week rested their case in the trial of the man accused of starting the deadly and historically destructive Palisades Fire that scorched swaths of Los Angeles in the early days of 2025.
—
Jack Hannah,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
-
The Battle of the Gullet proves devastating for the Blacks, even if the blockade remains intact.
-
In 1876, at the Centennial, the United States was still recovering from a devastating Civil War.
Adjective
-
The loss of experience and military brainpower had disastrous consequences, especially in Russian lives lost, during the Winter War against Finland and the early stages of World War II against Nazi Germany.
-
Some prominent Democrats are warning that Mamdani’s success could spell doom for their party in November, arguing that what works in New York City would be disastrous in the heartland.
Adjective
-
The fatal hit-and-run occurred less than two hours after a 13-year-old boy was killed riding on the back of a moped in Queens after his friend slammed into an open car door and then careened into a moving truck.
-
The highest number of fatal attacks, the study found, occurred after high-risk behaviors, including deliberately entering waterways known to contain alligators.
Adjective
-
As attendees were escorted out of the Great American State Fair on Sunday because of inclement weather, guests noticed an unfortunate typo displayed on a digital billboard at the National Mall.
-
They should be trained not to ask a bunch of questions about the medical condition, express doubt, comment that the timing is unfortunate or share private information with co-workers.
Adjective
-
On the narrow question of AI’s most catastrophic risks, the major powers are beginning to agree.
-
Preexisting callus consistent with a repetitive stress injury leading to a catastrophic musculoskeletal failure.
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
