destructive

[dih-struhk-tiv]

adjective

1. tending to destroy; causing destruction or much damage (often followed by of orto ).

   a very destructive windstorm.

   Synonyms: deleterious, ruinous
   Antonyms: creative

2. tending to overthrow, disprove, or discredit (constructive ).

   destructive criticism.

   Synonyms: negative, adverse, unfavorable
   Antonyms: constructive

destructive

/ dɪˈstrʌktɪv, ˌdiːstrʌkˈtɪvɪtɪ /

adjective

1. causing or tending to cause the destruction (of)

2. 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of destructive¹

First recorded in 1480–90; from Middle French, from Late Latin dēstructīvus, from Latin dēstruct(us) “demolished, torn down” ( destruction ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

They report that climate change is likely to further increase the frequency and severity of these destructive floods in the coming decades.

Read more on Science Daily

Those conditions, combined with exceptionally erratic Santa Ana winds, fueled the rapid spread of the Eaton and Palisades fires, which rank among the deadliest and most destructive in California history.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The tens of billions of pounds of tax hikes Ms. Reeves introduced last year have been economically destructive and fiscally unhelpful—especially a payroll-tax increase that hurt job creation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This weekend’s storm is expected to bring heavy rain to Southern California and has triggered fears about flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas burned in this year’s destructive wildfires.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Taylor spoke after writing to the prime minister, where she criticised the administration's "command-and-control approach" was "now serving as a singular and destructive force".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• calamitous 
• cataclysmic 
• catastrophic 
• damaging 
• deadly 
• detrimental 
• disastrous 
• fatal 
• harmful 
• hurtful 
• lethal 
• pernicious 
• ruinous 
• suicidal 
• toxic