Causing destruction; having a tendency to destroy or the quality of destroying; ruinous; mischievous; pernicious; hurtful: with of or to before an object: as, a destructive fire; a destructive disposition; intemperance is destructive of health; evil examples are destructive to the morals of youth.In logic, refuting; disproving: as, a destructive dilemma.n. One who or that which destroys; one who favors the destruction of anything for some ulterior purpose, as progress or public convenience; an overthrower of existing institutions, customs, or the like.