devastate

verb

dev·​as·​tate ˈde-və-ˌstāt How to pronounce devastate (audio)
devastated; devastating

transitive verb

1
: to bring to ruin or desolation by violent action
a country devastated by war
The typhoon devastated the island.
2
: to reduce to chaos, disorder, or helplessness : overwhelm
devastated by grief
Her wisecrack devastated the class.
devastation noun
devastative adjective
devastator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for devastate

ravage, devastate, waste, sack, pillage, despoil mean to lay waste by plundering or destroying.

ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction.

a hurricane ravaged the coast

devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area.

an earthquake devastated the city

waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action.

years of drought had wasted the area

sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place.

barbarians sacked ancient Rome

pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack.

settlements pillaged by Vikings

despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction.

the Nazis despoiled the art museums

Examples of devastate in a Sentence

The flood devastated the town. The disease has devastated the area's oak tree population. The hurricane left the island completely devastated.
Recent Examples on the Web Since the attack, Israel has devastated Hamas, killed the leadership of the Lebanese militia Hezbollah and fended off two missile barrages from Iran. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 17 Oct. 2024 These scams can devastate businesses, potentially leading to significant financial losses and operational disruptions. Elie Y. Katz, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 After Hurricane Helene devastated most of western North Carolina, volunteers began streaming into the region. Jessica Pishko, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2024 Earlier this month, the two appeared together for the first time since 2020 when Trump toured the state after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Georgia. Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for devastate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'devastate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin devastatus, past participle of devastare, from de- + vastare to lay waste — more at waste

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of devastate was in 1638

Dictionary Entries Near devastate

Cite this Entry

“Devastate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devastate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

devastate

verb
dev·​as·​tate ˈdev-ə-ˌstāt How to pronounce devastate (audio)
devastated; devastating
1
: to reduce to ruin : lay waste
2
: overwhelm sense 2, overpower
devastated by grief
devastatingly adverb
devastation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on devastate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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