destructive
destructive — adjective
1. Something that is destructive causes serious harm or damage, often by breaking,
Something that is destructive causes serious harm or damage, often by breaking, ruining, or destroying what it affects.
The destructive force of the earthquake flattened entire villages in the region.
attributive use: destructive force [of something]
Charlotte's destructive criticism made her colleagues feel discouraged and demoralized.
predicative adjective describing the nature of criticism
Forest fires can be highly destructive when strong winds carry the flames.
The new pesticide was found to be destructive to local bee populations.
Emre worried that his angry outbursts were becoming more destructive over time.
- damaging
less extreme; suggests harm without total ruin; 'damaging winds' vs 'destructive winds'
- devastating
stronger than destructive; implies total ruin and emotional shock
- ruinous
formal and slightly old-fashioned; emphasizes financial or structural collapse
- harmful
broader and milder; covers any kind of harm, not just physical damage
- constructive
the most direct opposite, especially in emotional/social contexts (constructive criticism vs destructive criticism)
- beneficial
broader antonym; suggests positive effects rather than neutral absence of harm
文法句型
destructive + noun
be + destructive
destructive to + noun
用法筆記
Often used with nouns like force, effect, impact, or behavior to describe the scale or type of harm. In formal writing, destructive to is the standard prepositional pattern when specifying what is harmed.