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
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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If the infection is not contained by the body’s immune response, the bacteria destroys lung tissue which can trigger chest pain and coughing up of mucus or blood.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
For individual cellular damage, your body either repairs it or destroys the cell and replaces it.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 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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What overwhelms her isn’t the wedding itself, but the realization that her lifelong role as Lexi’s default person is about to shift.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
-
But for families with young kids, there is one cost that overwhelms almost everything else — child care.—
Liam Stanton,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Published in 1842, Poe’s story follows Prince Prospero, who retreats with a group of nobles into a fortified abbey as a deadly plague ravages the countryside.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
-
This horror ravages Africa far beyond Nigeria.—
Nuri Kino,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Imperfect Women, created for television by Annie Weisman and based on Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name, examines a crime that shatters the lives of a decades-long friendship of three women.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
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As the vehicle pulls slowly away, Pretti kicks at the taillight and then delivers a second kick that shatters the red plastic and leaves the taillight dangling.—
Michael Biesecker,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Auburn overcomes a 14-point deficit in the first half and race past the Longhorns behind 31 points from Keyshawn Hall.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Jan. 2026
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By placing wind turbines in the air, this overcomes land use pressures and also makes the technology more flexible for places like cities.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Exposure to high humidity and low temperatures can severely alter these items, which not only ruins their aesthetic beauty but also impacts their sound.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
25 Jan. 2026
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However, too much acid ruins the dish.—
Lewis Schiff,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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This process wrecks kidney and heart tissue, causing the heart to enlarge and blood vessels to become stiffer, impeding circulation and setting the stage for clots.—
Jyoti Madhusoodanan,
Scientific American,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devastates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastates. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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