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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destructive
Hank’s death was the tragic turning point that finally crystalized just how destructive Walter White’s ambitions truly were.
—
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
As a result, dogs might exhibit destructive behavior, excess barking, restlessness or urination and defecation.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
All while treating patients in the middle of a destructive hurricane.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Soggy soil is a breeding ground for destructive pests and diseases.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
As a result, dogs might exhibit destructive behavior, excess barking, restlessness or urination and defecation.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
All while treating patients in the middle of a destructive hurricane.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Soggy soil is a breeding ground for destructive pests and diseases.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
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Ragans paired his changeup, knuckle-curve and slider around the devastating fastball.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
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Search-and-rescue teams were seen working around the clock in the rubble of the once-thriving music venue, as the nation’s emergency operations director, Gen. Juan Manuel Méndez, confirmed the devastating toll.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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If tax reform isn’t approached thoughtfully, the impact on those already facing significant challenges could be disastrous.—
Jack Salmon,
National Review,
14 Apr. 2025
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Apple had seemed to resolve this with its Private Cloud Compute, but then its disastrous Apple Intelligence delays made all that somewhat academic for the time being at least.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Black lung, a debilitating and often fatal condition caused by inhalation of coal and silica dust during mining, affects roughly 1 in 5 miners who have worked in the Central Appalachian mines for twenty-five years or more, according to NIOSH.—
Dr. Mark Abdelmalek,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
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The day of the fatal fall, Goodwin said Bass had checked on Tidus and his brother minutes prior, and then had stepped outside with the dog.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The self-deportation of a University of Florida student reveals the new reality for many immigrants — any brush with the law can set off a chain of unfortunate events.—
Clara-Sophia Daly,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
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In an unfortunate piece of timing, the management consultancy Arthur D Little published its third annual global CEO Insights study at the beginning of this week, just as the world’s markets were taking in the impact of President Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs policy.—
Roger Trapp,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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