destructive
adjective
Simple meaning
Causing breakdown or disassembly.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dihstruhktivSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
dɪstˈɹʌktɪv
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Causing destruction or much damage
“A policy that is destructive to the economy.”
Causing destruction; damaging.
Causing breakdown or disassembly.
computing
Lossy; causing irreversible change.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
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More ways to use destructive
- “A policy that is destructive to the economy.”adjective
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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
Of or pertaining to a cataclysm.
Causing damage; harmful, injurious.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Breakdown in living organisms of more complex substances into simpler ones together with release of energy.
Heating a solid substance in a closed container and collecting the volatile products.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: causing destruction or much damage
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