as in destroyed
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1
as in ravaged
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the city was devastated, first by the earthquake and then by fires
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ruined
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the explosion devastated an entire city block
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in overwhelmed
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
we were devastated by the awful news of his death
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devastated
Alex Ritman, Variety, 16 May 2026
Rescue workers ended search operations at the devastated building, which was struck this week during Russia’s heaviest air attack on the Ukrainian capital this year.
—Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
The economy has been devastated, and many feel trapped between a government with no mercy and a future with no clear path forward.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastated
Adjective
As her lie begins to unravel, her hunger for validation spirals into something far darker, drawing a devastated father into a desperate search and exposing a culture more obsessed with spectacle than consequence.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 16 May 2026
Rescue workers ended search operations at the devastated building, which was struck this week during Russia’s heaviest air attack on the Ukrainian capital this year.
—Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Verb
Scotch bonnets are a temperamental crop; the most recent harvest was devastated by hurricanes in Jamaica — a key producer — as well as disease and pests.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 2 June 2026
The economy has been devastated, and many feel trapped between a government with no mercy and a future with no clear path forward.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastated
Adjective
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His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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The year before, his hometown of Mexico City had been ravaged by a massive earthquake.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The current San Geronimo Chapel was built in 1850 to replace a church destroyed in the Mexican American War.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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The video and the SCE data offer proof that the 100-year-old line, which hadn’t been used since the early 1970s, became re-electrified and sparked the fire that killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Altadena and surrounding areas, attorneys say.—
Tony Saavedra,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Feint claps for the President could be heard on the ABC broadcast, but they were overwhelmed by the Bronx cheer.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
9 June 2026
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The weather is mild, the landscapes are at their most dramatic, and the town feels alive without being overwhelmed.—
Elizabeth Heath,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Adjective
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The officer pulled his weapon and ordered him to stay in the wrecked car.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
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For days, no one connected the wrecked car to Marcus.—
Edie Peffley,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
Verb
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The family members of South Florida Realtor Melanie Hyer and her two young daughters say they are shattered after the three were killed in their Doral home at the hands of the children’s father.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
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The bullet penetrated his hip, thrust through his knee and shattered his femur.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Russian drone strikes overnight also injured civilians and damaged buildings and businesses in the Kharkiv, Odesa and Chernihiv regions, regional authorities said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
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But over time, the cutting edges on a drill bit will wear down, causing materials start to splinter, leading to chipped wood or damaged walls.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
5 June 2026
Verb
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But the building was demolished within a day of the fire, making certainty impossible.—
Max Kutner,
HollywoodReporter,
7 June 2026
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The set design is centered around the flooded, burned down, and demolished house that appears in the album visuals and is somehow still standing despite it all.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devastated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastated. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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