destructiveness
Capacity for ruin
Destructiveness is the quality of causing damage or ruin.
It can describe physical force—the destructiveness of a tornado—or abstract harm: the destructiveness of addiction, the destructiveness of his jealousy.
The word often carries moral weight, implying that the damage was avoidable or malicious.
Severe widespread destruction
- demolitionDeliberate structural destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
collapse · disintegration · decay · deterioration · degradation · dilapidation · corrosion · erosion
Total destruction or erasure
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- eradicationTotal elimination of something
- effacementAct of erasing completely
expunging · elimination · extermination · extirpation · wiping out · stamping out · purging · abolition
Violent offensive act
- brutalitySavage, merciless behavior
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- warfareArmed conflict between groups
terrorism · riot · rampage · bloodshed · carnage · onslaught · atrocity · massacre
Damaging an appearance
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- desecrationViolating something sacred
- graffitiIllegal surface markings
- smashingBritish slang for excellent
trashing · wrecking · arson · looting · spoliation · mutilation · disfigurement · marring
Antagonistic disposition toward others
- belligerenceWarlike aggression
- ferocityExtreme violent intensity
- rageIntense, violent anger
- furyIntense violent anger
wrath · combativeness · antagonism · pugnacity · truculence · bellicosity · menace · intimidation
Complete disorder and confusion
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- upheavalViolent disturbance of order
turmoil · pandemonium · bedlam · mayhem · disruption · shambles · meltdown · cataclysm
devastation
Severe widespread destruction
- demolitionDeliberate structural destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
wreckage · collapse · disintegration · decay · deterioration · degradation · dilapidation · corrosion · erosion · blight
obliteration
Total destruction or erasure
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- eradicationTotal elimination of something
effacement · expunging · elimination · extermination · extirpation · wiping out · stamping out · purging · abolition
assault
Violent offensive act
- brutalitySavage, merciless behavior
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- combatArmed hostile engagement
warfare · terrorism · riot · rampage · bloodshed · carnage · onslaught · atrocity · massacre · slaughter
defacement
Damaging an appearance
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- desecrationViolating something sacred
- graffitiIllegal surface markings
smashing · trashing · wrecking · arson · looting · spoliation · mutilation · disfigurement · marring · ransacking
hostility
Antagonistic disposition toward others
- belligerenceWarlike aggression
- ferocityExtreme violent intensity
- rageIntense, violent anger
fury · wrath · combativeness · antagonism · pugnacity · truculence · bellicosity · menace · intimidation · viciousness
chaos
Complete disorder and confusion
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
upheaval · turmoil · pandemonium · bedlam · mayhem · disruption · shambles · meltdown · cataclysm · maelstrom
- phrenologycraniology, acquisitiveness, adhesiveness, benevolence, cautiousness
- malevolencemalevolence, cruelty, viciousness, malice, spite
- malicemalice, ill will, spite, malevolence, malignity
destructivenessconstructiveness
Quality of being helpful
creativeness · creativity · productiveness · generativity · inventiveness
destructivenessconservation
Preventing waste or loss
preservation · protectiveness · safeguarding · maintenance · stewardship
destructivenessharmlessness
Inability to cause damage
helpfulness · beneficence · benevolence · nurturing · healing
destroy, destroyed, destruction, destructive, destroying, destroyer, indestructible, reconstruction, reconstructed