Word
destructive
Meanings
Causing serious physical damage; ruining or destroying things.
Causing harm or damage to people, relationships, or progress through harmful behavior or attitudes.
Definition
Causing serious damage or harm by ruining or destroying something.
Destructive describes actions, forces, or behavior that cause significant damage or harm. It can refer to physical damage, such as storms or fires, or to behavior and habits that damage relationships, work, or wellbeing. The word often suggests that the harm is severe and difficult to repair.
Examples
- The wildfire’s destructive path left entire hillsides charred within hours.
- I realized my destructive habit of rereading every email was slowing the whole project down.
- Her destructive comment derailed the discussion and made the team shut down.
- They faced a destructive cycle of blame that made compromise almost impossible.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse destructive (causing damage) with destructible (able to be damaged).
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.