destructive
Americanadjective
-
tending to destroy; causing destruction or much damage (often followed by of orto ).
a very destructive windstorm.
- Synonyms:
- deleterious, ruinous
- Antonyms:
- creative
-
tending to overthrow, disprove, or discredit (constructive ).
destructive criticism.
- Synonyms:
- negative, adverse, unfavorable
- Antonyms:
- constructive
adjective
-
causing or tending to cause the destruction (of)
-
intended to disprove or discredit, esp without positive suggestions or help; negative Compare constructive
destructive criticism
Other Word Forms
- destructively adverb
- destructiveness noun
- destructivity noun
- interdestructive adjective
- interdestructively adverb
- interdestructiveness noun
- nondestructive adjective
- nondestructively adverb
- nondestructiveness noun
- overdestructive adjective
- overdestructively adverb
- overdestructiveness noun
- semidestructive adjective
- undestructive adjective
- undestructively adverb
- undestructiveness noun
Etymology
Origin of destructive
First recorded in 1480–90; from Middle French, from Late Latin dēstructīvus, from Latin dēstruct(us) “demolished, torn down” ( destruction ) + -īvus -ive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So far, oil prices have remained below economically destructive levels—at least for Americans.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
In the 20th Century, Germany used its powerful armies to wage some of the most destructive wars in human history, laying waste to much of the continent and killing millions.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
As sometimes destructive protests broke out after police were acquitted, King made his celebrated plea, “Can we all get along?”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
“We have social media that takes the vulnerable and goes after them in destructive ways,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
Lee’s visit coincided with the first destructive healthy impulse Darling had since her illness.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
