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
Orr looks poised to lead a creative, destructive and stingy defense.
—
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2025
Nor does the movie seem to understand how destructive, manipulative and dishonest Rachel can be.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
These dogs will need a lot of entertainment throughout the day to avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
And in 1995, a former soldier commandeered a tank in San Diego, leading police of a destructive, city-wide chase.
—Dell Cameron, Wired News, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2025
Nor does the movie seem to understand how destructive, manipulative and dishonest Rachel can be.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
These dogs will need a lot of entertainment throughout the day to avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
And in 1995, a former soldier commandeered a tank in San Diego, leading police of a destructive, city-wide chase.
—Dell Cameron, Wired News, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
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More than six months after devastating wildfires swept across the Los Angeles region in January, the recovery efforts continue.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, this lack of quorum means that there cannot be votes on things like relief and new warning systems after the devastating floods in Texas last month.—
Ailsa Chang,
NPR,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Spiers: Manchester City had a disastrous 2024-25 season and still only finished 13 points behind Liverpool.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 Aug. 2025
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As for other imports, Doval allowed three runs and took the loss in his debut to start the disastrous weekend.—
Larry Fleisher,
Forbes.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The same unit has experienced several tragedies, including the fatal shooting less than three years ago of an Army sergeant killed by a 28-year-old soldier in the brigade’s building complex, according to officials.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
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The other fatal shooting for which police announced arrests Wednesday was reported March 9 around 8:45 p.m. on Cas Drive at Solari Park, near the Seven Trees Community Center.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There’s way, way more to this score than Macca’s unfortunate attempt at a Jamaican accent in the title song.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 Aug. 2025
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Unlike its cousin, the shaker glass, an unfortunate bar staple across the globe, a good pub glass usually holds 20 ounces of beer and has a flair in the upper body that allows aromas and flavors to blossom.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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