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
But storms were certainly known to occur in the Midwest and the Great Lakes, and the most destructive ones made the headlines.
—
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Installation is designed to remain simple and non-destructive, with no need to remove vehicle seats or modify the original interior structure.
—New Atlas, 26 May 2026
One fundamental issue is extreme tribalism’s destructive momentum toward distrust and disdain of others.
—Steven D. Reske, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
The West has already experienced uncharacteristically early and destructive events, bringing concerns for a perilous fire season.
—Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Installation is designed to remain simple and non-destructive, with no need to remove vehicle seats or modify the original interior structure.
—New Atlas, 26 May 2026
One fundamental issue is extreme tribalism’s destructive momentum toward distrust and disdain of others.
—Steven D. Reske, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
The West has already experienced uncharacteristically early and destructive events, bringing concerns for a perilous fire season.
—Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
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Femi was coming off a devastating loss against Brock Lesnar.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
Fewer, but more ‘devastating’ blazes That the world suffered fewer acres torched by wildfires in 2025 likely comes as little relief to the countries and cities that battled the infernos last year.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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The study, published on May 31, highlights an ongoing trend toward wildfires becoming increasingly extreme, costly, and disastrous — both economically and in lives lost.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
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Leigh Ann, boy, so striking to hear the former first lady talk about that disastrous debate performance.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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Penicillin was the world’s first true antibiotic, revolutionizing medicine by providing an effective treatment for bacterial infections that were previously fatal.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
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The Supreme Court on May 26 rebuffed Florida’s attempt to sue California and Washington state over a fatal Florida crash blamed on an undocumented immigrant from India that became a political flashpoint.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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The timing is particularly unfortunate given the matchup awaiting the Knicks.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2026
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While loud sounds won’t cause flat cakes, there are reasons for this unfortunate outcome.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Garrincha also played at the 1966 World Cup, but his drinking had reached catastrophic levels by then.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
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And late last week about 50,000 people were evacuated in Southern California after a chemical tank overheated and threatened the area with a catastrophic explosion.—
Martha Bellisle,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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