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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in destroyed
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devastated
Abreanna Blose, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
So devastated were the locals that the tree’s remains lie in the Niger National Museum, and a commemorative metal sculpture stands in its place.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
For example, in a fiery defense of federal aid to the citizens of Alabama and Georgia devastated by recent Native American hostilities, Adams invoked Congress’s war powers, while calling attention to a deeper hypocrisy.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastated
Verb
Fraudulent pet listings are leaving victims emotionally devastated and financially drained, Dennis Horton, senior director of the Rockford Regional Office, said in the announcement.
—Abreanna Blose, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
So devastated were the locals that the tree’s remains lie in the Niger National Museum, and a commemorative metal sculpture stands in its place.
—Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The man was devastated, especially after learning his new role came with a demotion and a $15,000 pay cut.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
For example, in a fiery defense of federal aid to the citizens of Alabama and Georgia devastated by recent Native American hostilities, Adams invoked Congress’s war powers, while calling attention to a deeper hypocrisy.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastated
Verb
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Loving County can be a shocking place to visit for an outsider, a vast terrain ravaged by elements and industry, a landscape and atmosphere somewhere between Mad Max and No Country for Old Men.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
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Asheville was one of several western North Carolina towns ravaged by the destructive force of Hurricane Helene, which damaged structures and upended lives in September 2024.—
Kendrick Marshall,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Police and army inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a shot down Russian drone in the village of Wyryki-Wola, eastern Poland, on September 10, 2025.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Archaeologists believe the castle was either dismantled due to structural issues or destroyed by enemies.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But courts were overwhelmed by a flood of asylum seekers—a long-standing systemic shortage exacerbated by Biden’s inclusive policies.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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And the first-half performance in Seville, as Postecoglou’s side overwhelmed a very strong Real Betis, was enough to prompt a huge sense of positivity.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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All the problems getting into the ground ruined the trip a bit.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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In 1950s Washington, the moral entrepreneurs were members of Congress and expert witnesses who labeled people Soviet collaborators and ruined many of their lives.—
Ron Barrett,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The wrecked streetcar is colored yellow and white and was named the Elevador da Gloria.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
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He was found in Laughry Creek near the wrecked SUV and was dressed in only his underwear, the prosecutor said.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Pine, Colorado — As massive granite outcroppings dotted with evergreen trees jutted skyward from the landscape of Colorado’s Southern Rockies on a warm Tuesday morning, the serenity of bird calls and a babbling creek was shattered by a radio call from a park ranger in distress.—
Andi Babineau,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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There’s really never been a performance like the one Joaquin Phoenix gives as Freddie Quell, a Navy vet who emerges from the war shattered and strange but who may have always been that way.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The strikes Saturday morning demolished a house in Gaza City's Tufah neighborhood, killing at least 11 people, more than half of them women and children, according to Al-Ahly Hospital, where the bodies were brought.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
Arkansas Online,
28 Sep. 2025
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Of the 27 homes on their street in the Rollins neighborhood, 25 were either destroyed, demolished or suffered extensive damage that left them unlivable until they could be gutted and rebuilt, Heath said.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As explained, lost or damaged books will be charged at the market value to the borrower.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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This quality opens the door to creating implants that can be crafted to fit damaged sections of the bones perfectly.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devastated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastated. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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