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
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2
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
technology used for destructive ends
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Recent Examples of destructive
Combined, the conditions primed the region for destructive wildfires.
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Denise Chow, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2025
The destructive Palisades Fire first began in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7 and has since burned over 17,000 acres with 0% containment, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025
The efforts to revive Lord Howe Island’s flora and fauna spotlight nature’s ability to heal from even the most destructive circumstances.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
But scientists are clear: A warming planet, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels, has created the conditions for increasingly destructive wildfires, along with more damaging hurricanes and other extreme weather.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for destructive 
Denise Chow, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2025
The destructive Palisades Fire first began in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7 and has since burned over 17,000 acres with 0% containment, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025
The efforts to revive Lord Howe Island’s flora and fauna spotlight nature’s ability to heal from even the most destructive circumstances.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
But scientists are clear: A warming planet, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels, has created the conditions for increasingly destructive wildfires, along with more damaging hurricanes and other extreme weather.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for destructive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destructive
Adjective
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The utility giant, Florida Power & Light, spent $3 billion on adaptive measures after a devastating 2004-2005 hurricane season left citizens without electricity for more than half a month.Dipka Bhambhani, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
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At just 42 years old, Allison Freedman’s life took an unexpected and devastating turn.Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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His opportunity to coach this team had come after the Chargers lost in disastrous fashion to the Raiders in 2023 in Las Vegas.Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
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The only exception is the somewhat confusing nature of the Wii U, which was more or less a Wii with a Gamepad, and that helped lead to disastrous sales.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In 2023, Fort Liberty was ranked top among fatal overdoses in the military between 2017 and 2021, WCNC Charlotte reported.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
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Johnson has noted this and said Congress should get organized quickly for national security purposes, citing the fatal truck attack in New Orleans early in the morning on New Year's Day.Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Having a professional to talk to can help process and unpack unfortunate changes, and point towards new possibilities.Chris Westfall, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
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Millions of businesses have been targeted, revealing the unfortunate truth: cybercrime has become a daily occurrence among various enterprises.William Jones, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near destructive
Cite this Entry
“Destructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destructive. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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