devastate
verb
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Definition of devastate
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.
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Other Words from devastate
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adverb
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noun
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adjective
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noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for devastate
Synonyms
annihilate, cream, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, do in, extinguish, nuke, pull down, pulverize, raze, rub out, ruin, shatter, smash, tear down, total, vaporize, waste, wrack, wreck
Antonyms
build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up
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Examples of devastate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But these loans still carry triple-digit interest rates that can devastate consumers’ finances. — Tim Chen, Fortune, "Banks Should Lead the Way Out of the Payday Lending Trap," 6 June 2018 Jerash was at its peak in January of 749 CE when a massive earthquake devastated the region. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Decades of aerial photos reveal how an ancient desert city got its water," 30 May 2018 Ellicott City business owners and residents were preparing to access their Main Street properties Tuesday for the first time since a flash flood devastated the historic Howard County town Sunday. — Kate Magill, Howard County Times, "Ellicott City business owners, residents prepare to visit Main Street properties for first time since flood," 29 May 2018 The breed was developed to be resistant to brood disease and Varroa mites that have devastated bee colonies across the country. — Denise Coffey, Courant Community, "It's All About The Bees At Cedar Lane Apiaries," 1 May 2018 They were devastated by the news that Avicii, 28, was found dead in Muscat, Oman. — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, "Avicii, struggling with health and fame, tried to walk away from it all two years before he died," 21 Apr. 2018 Jenner admits she was devastated when Kardashian filed for divorce. — Aurelie Corinthios, PEOPLE.com, "Kris Jenner Calls Cheating on Husband Robert Kardashian 'One of My Biggest Regrets in Life'," 12 July 2018 The incendiary kites and balloons have devastated large swaths of farmland and nature reserves in southern Israel. — Bloomberg.com, "Israel Strikes Hamas Targets in Bid to Deter Burning Kites," 18 June 2018 The export ban, which also affects ZTE’s network-equipment business, has been devastating for the company as it has been forced to shut down its major operations. — Dan Strumpf, WSJ, "Look Inside This Chinese Smartphone and See It’s Made in America," 18 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'devastate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for devastate
devastate
verb
English Language Learners Definition of devastate
: to destroy much or most of (something) : to cause great damage or harm to (something)
: to cause (someone) to feel extreme emotional pain
See the full definition for devastate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
devastate
verb
\
Kids Definition of devastate
1 : to destroy entirely or nearly entirely The forest was devastated by fire.
2 : to cause to suffer emotionally He was devastated by the loss.
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