1
as in destroys
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the city was devastated, first by the earthquake and then by fires
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in overwhelms
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
we were devastated by the awful news of his death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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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
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
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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
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If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Messy data wrecks forecasts, distorts reporting and wastes time.—
Thasha Batts,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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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