as in devastating
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
totally desolated the city with aerial bombs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolating
Verb
-
Last year’s devastating drought in the Amazon Basin was made 30 times more likely by climate change, according to a report from World Weather Attribution, a network of scientists that analyze extreme weather events.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025 -
Earlier this year, California’s devastating Eaton Fire destroyed much of Altadena, a diverse, creative community just north of Pasadena.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
And candidates who stoked fear in voters — with the threat of towering multi-family complexes destroying their communities or costly local infrastructure projects driving up taxes — lost by clear margins.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Derek Lopez, 27, was fired from his role at the university after he was caught on camera destroying a Turning Point display.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When a world-shattering event turns most of the global population into a friendly hive mind, Carol sets out to protect her individuality.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
-
But this average-looking citizen could become almost anything, throwing himself into roles with shattering power.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Chiefs have seen some of league’s premier running backs — such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — and have met each challenge, preventing those elite players from ruining the defensive game plan.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The military showed us a map of Hamas tunnel routes Israeli forces are still discovering and demolishing in the area.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Most recently, crews began demolishing the East Wing of the White House.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
After those rules are broken, the gremlin spawns more of its kind and end up wrecking havoc on Billy’s hometown during Christmas.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Storm preparations Cuba has been struck almost yearly by a major hurricane in recent years, sometimes twice, wrecking the country’s already decrepit infrastructure, damaging crops and destroying thousands of homes in precarious condition.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Within a few years of leaving Texas, Rauschenberg had upended everything the place had meant to him, smashing through the parochialism of small-town Southern life, where necks were broken in Jesus’ name, and families indentured or murdered.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The role would typically involve smashing a bottle of champagne against the bow before sending the vessel out on its maiden voyage.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
If your hair is getting snagged while using the brush or seems to be damaging your hair, it should also be replaced.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The YouTuber-turned-boxer has been accused by a lot of people of damaging the sport by staging fights that are more bit than boxing.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Desolating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolating. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share