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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 And our government officials and employees must be free of the destructive Aryan supremacy philosophy. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026 The United States and Iran both refrained from overly destructive attacks on the Gulf region’s vital energy infrastructure. — Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026 The perfectionist is always trying to beat down the destructive one. — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026 Forecasters warn that this El Niño could bring extreme heat, destructive storms and flooding to many parts of the planet through early 2027. — Bethany Tietjen, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
  1. devastating
  2. disastrous
  3. fatal
  4. unfortunate
  5. catastrophic
Adjective
  • Nearly a month after the first in a devastating string of beluga deaths at Shedd Aquarium, its officials Friday offered preliminary answers about what may have gone wrong.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The memory has historically been prone to devastating boom-and-bust cycles.
    — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of devastating
Adjective
  • Still, by the time the meeting ended, aldermen had agreed the new terms made the disastrous 2008 privatization of the city’s once-public system a little bit better.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Undeterred, the press has continued to publish damning reports about his chaotic management of the Pentagon at home and the US military’s disastrous conduct overseas.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • After 16 months of radiation and chemotherapy, a September 2025 scan showed the cancer had spread to his spinal cord, a condition called leptomeningeal disease that usually proves fatal within a few months.
    — Arthur Allen, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • None of the 10 students riding to Wyandotte High School on Monday morning were injured when gunfire struck their school bus during a fatal dispute.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of fatal
Adjective
  • These unfortunate souls were supposed to stay in their birthplace, hoping church charity would sustain them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Artistic but flighty, Deborah ends up at her parents’ alma mater when an unfortunate incident gets her NYU Tisch School of the Arts acceptance rescinded.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • An ugly game-ending arm injury suffered by Washington starting quarterback Jayden Daniels on the final play of the first half, which caused Fox Sports analyst Tom Brady to curse on air, had a catastrophic effect on the Commanders’ chances.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026
  • These findings meaningfully raise the odds of either a massive settlement and licensing deal or, failing that, a Times victory at trial that would be catastrophic for the defendants and enormously remunerative for the plaintiff.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of catastrophic

Browse Nearby Words

destructions
destructive
desuetude
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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