Destructive
easyNegative tonedih-STRUK-tiv
adjective
Definition
Causing great damage or harm; highly damaging
Memory hook
DE-STRUCT-IVE: pulling down the STRUCTURE — causing great damage or ruin.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The destructive hurricane left thousands homeless.”
“His destructive criticism demoralized the entire team.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ hurricane left thousands homeless.”
Show answer
destructive
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Destructive is a easy-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "ruinous" or "devastating" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "constructive".
Related GRE Words
baneful
Causing harm or ruin; pernicious; destructive
injurious
Causing or likely to cause damage or harm
noxious
Harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant
deleterious
Causing harm or damage; injurious
calamitous
Involving or causing a calamity; disastrous
catastrophic
Involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering
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