Destructive Meaning
/dɪˈstɹʌktɪv/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjCausing destruction; damaging.
adjCausing breakdown or disassembly.
Sentence Examples
Suspicion is destructive of friendship.
Small children can be very destructive.
The war demonstrated the destructive power of modern weapons.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ storm demolished buildings and uprooted trees across the region.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Suspicion is ____ of friendship.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English destructyve, from Middle French destructif, from Latin dēstrūctīvus, from past participle of dēstruere (“to tear down, destroy”) + -īvus.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The pastures are filled with gay political drop-outs, persons of reasonable intent who found the scene personally destructive."
— 1980 August 30, David Rothenberg, “A New York State of Confusion”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 6, page 5:
"After rescuing his estranged daughter in the last film, Live Free Or Die Hard, Willis heads to Russia to rescue his estranged son (Jai Courtney), a CIA agent on a mission to protect a whistleblower (Sebastian Koch) from a corrupt government official (Sergei Kolesnikov) with no shortage of destructive resources at his disposal."
— 2013 February 14, Scott Tobias, “Film: Reviews: A Good Day To Die Hard”, in The Onion AV Club:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ storm demolished buildings and uprooted trees across the region.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Suspicion is ____ of friendship.