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
Relevance
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
Kyiv residents endure long daily blackouts as Russia devastates the power system, leaving tower block dwellers freezing in apartments with no heat or light.
—
Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026
Exacerbating the problem, unpredictable rainfall cycling between drought and floods further devastates the region.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
Michael Winner’s gritty urban thriller starred Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, an everyman architect who becomes a vigilante after a brutal assault devastates his family.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
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
Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026
Exacerbating the problem, unpredictable rainfall cycling between drought and floods further devastates the region.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
Michael Winner’s gritty urban thriller starred Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, an everyman architect who becomes a vigilante after a brutal assault devastates his family.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025
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
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Rototilling also destroys earthworms and the critical beneficial microbes that interact with plant roots to keep them healthy.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Because scarring alopecia destroys the hair follicles, the resulting hair loss is permanent.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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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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Disorientation isn’t an external force that overwhelms a person like a wave.—
Jeff Wise,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
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Driven by the Gaza conflict and a deepening generational divide, Democratic sympathy for Palestinians now overwhelms support for Israel, threatening a historic partisan realignment.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Greenhouses provide protection from scourges like tomato blight, which ravages otherwise beautiful crops in areas with cool, rainy weather.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Over time, toxins accumulate, and the genetic disorder ravages children’s organs, including their heart — and in many cases, their brain, leading to dementia-like symptoms.—
Elizabeth Chuck,
NBC news,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Related Stories The film shatters stereotypical visuals of space, veering away from cold and desaturated colors, and using warmer tones such as orange.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
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Security footage provided by Elfvin shows the robot rolling directly into the side panel of a bus shelter, which shatters and showers the robot and sidewalk around it with what appears to be glass shards.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Leo consistently overcomes challenges such as low light, rapid movement, and split second moments to produce sharp, compelling images.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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LithSonic overcomes this challenge by using supersonic flow, similar to the conditions inside a rocket engine, to achieve ultra-rapid cooling through a process known as shock quenching.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Jeff then immediately ruins the stakes-building tension by launching into an interminable Applebee’s ad.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
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One drop of red dye ruins the whole thing.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The change launches biannual arguments about the practice, wrecks havoc on sleep and has inspired voters to go to California polls.—
Hannah Poukish,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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In a film like this, you’re ostensibly meant to root against the terror that the central characters wrecks on his victims.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devastates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastates. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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