destruct

American  

[dih-struhkt] / dɪˈstrʌkt /

adjective

1. serving or designed to destroy.

   a destruct mechanism on a missile.

---

noun

1. the act or process of intentional destruction.

   One out of ten launchings ended in destructs.

verb (used with object)

1. to destroy.

verb (used without object)

1. to be destroyed.

destruct British  

/ dɪˈstrʌkt /

verb

1. to destroy (one's own missile or rocket) for safety

2. (intr) (of a missile or rocket) to be destroyed, for safety, by those controlling it; self-destruct

---

noun

1. the act of destructing

adjective

1. designed to be capable of destroying itself or the object, system, or installation containing it

   destruct mechanism

Etymology

Origin of destruct

First recorded in 1630–40; back formation from destruction

Explanation

When you destruct something, you destroy or wreck it. A developer might buy an old building in order to destruct it and build a shiny new one in its place. The verb destruct isn't as common as its relatives, destructive, destruction, and self-destruct, but you can use it to mean "wipe out" or "destroy." Your doctor might worry that your lack of sleep and frequent soda drinking will destruct your health, and a kindergartner will probably wail in frustration if her little brother destructs her Lego creation. Destruct comes from destruction, most likely as 1950's US defense industry jargon.

Example Sentences

By combining their results, researchers can better study neutrinos and their antimatter counterparts, offering insight into why the universe did not self destruct immediately after the Big Bang.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

Lincoln Riley needs a laminated, and larger, play card that doesn’t self destruct, along with his team, in bad weather.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2025

China, like the US, is a "pretty smart adversary", and also probably planned for the aircraft to self destruct or scramble data as a part of the spy espionage mission, Dr Falco said.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2023

“Rodeo Drive is among the most desirable streets in the world, which means we’re one of the biggest targets. What we do not welcome is people with ill intentions, who are here to destruct property.”

From Washington Post • Nov. 2, 2020

He was actually risking his life—or so he believed—to prove that the child could not destruct a human being.

From When I Grow Up by Lowe, Richard E.