verb
destruct
dih-STRUHKT
verb
1
To destroy something deliberately, especially as part of a built-in mechanism.
"The rocket was ordered to destruct after veering off course."
How to Use Destruct
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo deliberately trigger destruction, often of a device or system.
Common pairings
self-destruct
destruct sequence
Word Forms
destructed past tense, destructs singular
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The rocket was ordered to _____ after veering off course.
Etymology
A back-formation from "destruction" — the noun came first, and "destruct" was created from it.