ravage

verb

ravaged; ravaging

transitive verb

: to wreak havoc on : affect destructively

a land ravaged by war

intransitive verb

: to commit destructive actions

ravagement

ˈra-vij-mənt 

noun

ravager noun

Synonyms of ravage

• destroy
• devastate
• ruin

Choose the Right Synonym for ravage

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 ravage in a Sentence

Hurricane Andrew ravaged Louisiana and Florida in 1992, causing $19 billion in damage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, a year after the Palisades wildfires ravaged Southern California, destroying his home, Pratt, 42, announced his bid for Los Angeles mayor. —James Ward, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Temperatures have risen in oceans faster due to climate change, super-charging storms and drought, ravaging coral reefs across the world, and endangering species in tandem with overfishing and industrial pollution. —ABC News, 4 June 2026

The year before, his hometown of Mexico City had been ravaged by a massive earthquake. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026

Fires ravaged the ballpark’s left-field bleachers in May 1926, and a tornado’s ferocious winds tore through additional sections of seats that July, and ownership could not afford to renovate. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French ravager, derivative of ravage "destruction, damage" — more at ravage entry 1

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for ravage

• gavage
• lavage

Kids Definition

ravage

1 of 2 noun

rav·​age ˈrav-ij 

: violently destructive action or effect

ravage

2 of 2 verb

ravaged; ravaging

: to attack or act upon with great violence

a forest ravaged by fire

ravagement

-mənt 

noun

ravager noun