destructive
adjective
de·struc·tive
di-ˈstrək-tiv 
1
: causing destruction : ruinous
destructive storm
2
: designed or tending to hurt or destroy
destructive criticism
destructively
adverb
destructiveness
noun
Examples of destructive in a Sentence
It was one of the most destructive storms in recent memory.
She argued that the law was destructive of personal liberties.
The school is concerned about the destructive behavior of a few students.
Recent Examples on the Web
But the conditions now taking shape increasingly resemble those that in recent years have fueled some of the region's most destructive blazes.
—
Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
This pattern can lead to more intense and destructive fire seasons.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
No hurricane made landfall in the US in 2025, but Matt Brannon of Insurify pointed to the toll from severe convective storms, which can produce tornadoes, hail and destructive winds.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Melissa brought heavy rainfall and flooding, damaging storm surge, and destructive winds to portions of eastern Cuba, just one month after the island was pounded by Hurricane Imelda a month earlier, the National Hurricane Center, part of the National Weather Service, concluded in its final report.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
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Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
This pattern can lead to more intense and destructive fire seasons.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
No hurricane made landfall in the US in 2025, but Matt Brannon of Insurify pointed to the toll from severe convective storms, which can produce tornadoes, hail and destructive winds.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Melissa brought heavy rainfall and flooding, damaging storm surge, and destructive winds to portions of eastern Cuba, just one month after the island was pounded by Hurricane Imelda a month earlier, the National Hurricane Center, part of the National Weather Service, concluded in its final report.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destructive. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
destructive
adjective
de·struc·tive
di-ˈstrək-tiv
1
: causing destruction : ruinous
a destructive storm
2
: designed or tending to hurt or destroy
destructive criticism
destructively
adverb
destructiveness
noun
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