Crossword Genius

Destructive riot with civil disorder (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

vitriolic

'destructive' is the definition.
('vitriolic' can be similar in meaning to 'destructive')

'riot with civil disorder' is the wordplay.
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'disorder' indicates an anagram (I've seen 'diseased' mean this (I've seen this in other clues)).
'riot' after 'civil' is 'civilriot'.
'civilriot' anagrammed gives 'VITRIOLIC'.

(Other definitions for vitriolic that I've seen before include "Acrimonious" , "Scathing" , "Bitterly critical" , "Highly corrosive" , "Severely bitter" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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