devastating
adjective
dev·as·tat·ing
ˈde-və-ˌstā-tiŋ 
1
: causing great damage or harm
a devastating flood/earthquake
a devastating injury
A devastating coastal tsunami could also result from a severe displacement of the San Andreas Fault.—
Gary Sandquist
Gary Sandquist2
: causing extreme emotional pain
a devastating loss
Even the most banal domestic melodramas, readers come to understand, are experienced as devastating tragedies by children living them for the first time.—Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly3
: extremely effective or powerful
a devastating satire
He had a devastating wit and an utter contempt for shoddy work in physics.—Jeremy Bernstein
Jeremy Bernstein
devastatingly
adverb
Some people recover readily from the infection, but in others it becomes disseminated, spreading rapidly and devastatingly from lungs to bones, skin and nervous system
—Lawrence Galton
Lawrence Galton
Postcards from the Edge is a devastatingly savvy, bitingly funny, yet sad movie based on Carrie Fisher's autobiographical novel about Hollywood.
—Jeffrey Lyons
Jeffrey Lyons
… is portrayed as a devastatingly effective power broker in the Senate.
—Alan Brinkley
Alan Brinkley
Examples of devastating in a Sentence
a devastating blow to our morale
Recent Examples on the Web
His character was killed off early in Season 9 after a devastating Season 8 plane crash that also claimed the life of Leigh’s Lexie.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Hearron said the effects of the investigation and of the charges have been devastating on Rojas.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
None are forecasted to be devastating, but the idea of more snow piling on top of the already dirty, crusty, old snow is exhausting to some.
—Kristina Rex, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Village attorneys blame its former insurers for Dolton’s inability to pay the judgment, and wrote in court filings that forcing the village to acquiesce would have devastating financial effects on residents.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastating
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Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Hearron said the effects of the investigation and of the charges have been devastating on Rojas.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
None are forecasted to be devastating, but the idea of more snow piling on top of the already dirty, crusty, old snow is exhausting to some.
—Kristina Rex, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Village attorneys blame its former insurers for Dolton’s inability to pay the judgment, and wrote in court filings that forcing the village to acquiesce would have devastating financial effects on residents.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Cite this Entry
“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devastating. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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