destructive

adjective

di-ˈstrək-tiv How to pronounce destructive (audio)
Definition of destructivenext
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

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 California has experienced some of the most destructive wildfires in its history over the past two decades. — Ruben Grijalva, Oc Register, 1 Aug. 2026 The condition is similar to—and possibly a subtype of—rapid destructive arthritis, which was identified a year later in 1982. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 Can Azor Matusiwa implement his destructive ball-winning capabilities? — Luke Bosher, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Thus, the more Pentheus attempts to contain Dionysus, disguised as a foreign holy man, the more vehement and destructive the god becomes. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
  1. devastating
  2. disastrous
  3. fatal
  4. unfortunate
  5. catastrophic
Adjective
  • What began as one employee's devastating loss quickly grew into a community-wide effort to help earthquake victims in Venezuela.
    — Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Robert Bush, 48, was sentenced at Hull Crown Court in northeastern England after a five-day hearing in which more than 200 victims described the devastating impact of his crimes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of devastating
Adjective
  • Following a disastrous 3-14 season, the Jets selected three players in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Experiments In Offline Dating by Kat Mackenzie Maya Davis travels to Ireland to find love the old-fashioned way for her dating podcast, only to endure the most disastrous blind date of her life with a gruff sheep farmer.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Legal experts cast doubt Monday on Bryan Kohberger’s petition to withdraw his guilty plea in the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students in 2022.
    — Emanuella Grinberg, NBC news, 28 July 2026
  • Tasmanian devils suffer from Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD), a highly fatal cancer spread by biting, which has devastated their population and surprisingly arose twice.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of fatal
Adjective
  • No, this unfortunate moniker represents the lack of attention to and awareness of the disease.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Typically, when rookies put up gaudy numbers in Las Vegas, their stats are accompanied by unfortunate shooting percentages or a bevy of turnovers, but that wasn’t the case for Burries.
    — Eric Nehm, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • As humanity contemplates the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, Sulej says the story of the Mastodonsaurus offers some hope.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • The last major hurricane to hit Miami-Dade County was the catastrophic Hurricane Andrew in 1992, but the city did not take a direct hit.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of catastrophic

Browse Nearby Words

destructions
destructive
desuetude
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Cite this Entry

“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on destructive

Nglish: Translation of destructive for Spanish Speakers

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