devastated 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of devastatednext
as in destroyed

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devastated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of devastate
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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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

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.
Recent Examples of devastated
Adjective
No amount of historical context can soothe a devastated parent’s pain. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 Heavy machinery is needed to recover the body, a resource that, according to Santander, has become a business in the devastated area because families are being charged to use the equipment for debris removal. — Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Verb
An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana died after she was infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba, leaving her family devastated. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 Williams’ death devastated his family, his grandmother Kim Crow told WFTV in Orlando. — Yona Gavino, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for devastated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastated
  1. ruined
  2. ravaged
  3. destroyed
  4. overwhelmed
  5. wrecked
  6. shattered
  7. damaged
  8. demolished
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Verb
  • Efforts to bring the outbreak under control — from limited public gatherings to social distancing and airport closures — have disrupted life in the six affected provinces, particularly Ituri, which has been ravaged by rebel violence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In a world that’s been ravaged by a virus, with many living on the skids, survivors face roaming scavengers called Reapers.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of ravaged
Verb
  • The fire started in the 2300 block of Pickett Road and destroyed five structures, according to Cal Fire.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Almost 50 homes and other structures have been destroyed so far; there have been several injuries, and one of Tibbetts’s neighbors lost 20 German shepherds.
    — Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroyed
Verb
  • Reflecting on her journey, Jones told me last year that her best career advice is to stay open to new experiences and not get overwhelmed by distant goals.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • My mother was never one for parting phrases, mainly because she was overwhelmed by a form of timidity that verged on self-erasure.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of overwhelmed
Adjective
  • Police and firefighters responding to the area discovered the wrecked vehicle along the hillside.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Hundreds of clay jars known as amphorae were discovered inside the wrecked ship, alongside lead anchor stocks and other artifacts, police said.
    — Isabella Colletta, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrecked
Verb
  • Adolf Hitler's army has been shattered, but thousands of Nazi fanatics are prepared to engage in an epic last stand.
    — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The case against the Tates That image of impunity shattered on July 18, when US Marshals arrested the brothers outside a bare-knuckle boxing match in Miami on an extradition request from British authorities.
    — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of shattered
Adjective
  • Persuading big American oil companies to return to the region could prove a challenge given the political uncertainty and damaged infrastructure.
    — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • As families wait for news about their relatives, damaged roads, power outages and fears of further flooding have hampered rescue efforts.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of damaged
Verb
  • Meanwhile, as cars replaced horses, streets had to be widened, and several of the city’s many inconvenient hills were flattened—some houses were demolished, but plenty were simply rolled out of the way.
    — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • His Administration demolished the White House’s East Wing to make way for a ballroom costing hundreds of millions of dollars—a project facing its own legal challenges.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolished

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Cite this Entry

“Devastated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastated. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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