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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Murray suffered what is perhaps the most devastating injury for an athlete to sustain in a game against the Boston Celtics.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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In Martin’s case, there was less of a payoff for retaining him through the Heat’s first-round loss to Boston in 2024, which followed Jimmy Butler’s devastating knee injury in the play-in game against Philadelphia.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This came after multiple failures in recent years — including three disastrous explosions in 2025 alone.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, Russia is having a disastrous harvest despite being an agricultural powerhouse, putting further pressure on the economy and the Kremlin’s finances.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Peacock 'Sharp Corner' This unsettling thriller features Ben Foster as a man who becomes overly obsessed with the fatal car crashes that happen at a sharp corner in the road in front of his new home.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
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Gaines said the department’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team was investigating the fatal crash and had not determined whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the traffic collision.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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No doubt my disdain for Labor Day has everything to do with its unfortunate spot on the calendar.—
Steven P. Dinkin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
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Admittedly, other mail options are available, with Japan Post’s U-Global Express (UGX) still in effect; this temporary suspension of regular mail from Japan to the US is definitely unfortunate.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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