devastates

present tense third-person singular of devastate
1
2
as in demolishes
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

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 devastates Americans are used to thinking about automation as something that devastates factory towns in the heartland. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025 The novel is about three teenagers experiencing the joy and angst of their senior year in a New York City high school as the AIDS crisis devastates their community. Abdi Nazemian, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025 Deadly flooding devastates South Asia Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the country’s north. Semafor Staff, semafor.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Illness devastates the novel’s humble, endearing protagonist, who bravely crosses class boundaries in her enthralling search for peace. Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastates
Verb
  • Each participant had lost central vision in one eye due to dry AMD, which destroys light-sensitive macular cells over time.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
  • An arson fire destroys the 43-year-old Globe Theatre on March 8 (the arsonist was never caught, but a firebug had set several blazes in the park that winter).
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Over such spans, change overwhelms continuity; too much simply disappears.
    Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • This figure motivates Butrich but also overwhelms her.
    Sabrina Weiss, The Dial, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • As extreme heat ravages New York City this summer, the lives of thousands detained on Rikers Island hang in the balance.
    Darren Mack, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Tessa Ia leads the series as Valeria Goldberg, a young woman in a Jewish-Mexican community who makes a mistake that shatters her world and forces her into a desperate fight to find her missing children.
    Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025
  • In a small town like Harding, a crime involving local children of local families shatters the relatively placid and usually numb routines of daily life.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Robotic system overcomes key technical challenges If implemented at large scale, the system could help tackle range anxiety for EVs.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The depth of humanity Kosztolányi brings to the sorrowful life of Skylark and her adoring parents is magical, and rewards anyone who overcomes its modest premise.
    New York Times, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • There are heated confrontations and a slap, and Alma ruins her shot at tenure after stealing a colleague's prescription pad to get more pain meds.
    Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
  • What to do in Split Split is a diverse blend of ancient and modern life, where Roman ruins stand alongside modern cafés and a bustling harbor.
    Chris Dong, AFAR Media, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Messy data wrecks forecasts, distorts reporting and wastes time.
    Thasha Batts, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Devastates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastates. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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