as in disastrous
causing or tending to cause destruction
a devastating blow to our morale
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in ravaging
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the city was devastated, first by the earthquake and then by fires
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroying
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 overwhelming
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 devastating
Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
In the film, Buckley portrays Agnes Shakespeare — the largely unknown wife of William Shakespeare — navigating the devastating loss of their young son.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Not even a month had passed since his big sister, Toraya, was shot and killed at an apartment complex in New Jersey, devastating the Reid family and shaking the Timberwolves organization to its core.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Adjective
An hour after their season came to a devastating end on Saturday, with a 5-4 loss in 11 innings to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Jays wrote the final few signatures on each clubhouse nameplate.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
In the film, Buckley portrays Agnes Shakespeare — the largely unknown wife of William Shakespeare — navigating the devastating loss of their young son.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
Sol Price had relinquished his official leadership role, and Robert’s fifteen-year-old son had recently died of cancer, devastating the family.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Not even a month had passed since his big sister, Toraya, was shot and killed at an apartment complex in New Jersey, devastating the Reid family and shaking the Timberwolves organization to its core.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastating
Adjective
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The spotlight increased after a disastrous interview with CBS to promote the legendary coach’s book.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
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Second goal breaks Charlotte’s back The second half opened with a disastrous sequence for Charlotte.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Hurricane Melissa, currently ravaging the Caribbean, is a perfect example of why climate adaptation finance is so badly needed.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Sean Paul is doing his part to help minimize and repair the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which is currently ravaging his homeland of Jamaica.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And candidates who stoked fear in voters — with the threat of towering multi-family complexes destroying their communities or costly local infrastructure projects driving up taxes — lost by clear margins.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
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Derek Lopez, 27, was fired from his role at the university after he was caught on camera destroying a Turning Point display.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Victorinox furthers its minimalist focus by using the Alox Refined treatment on three light, simple tools that provide a baseline of utility without overwhelming one's pocket.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
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Elderly patients deserve products that soothe without overwhelming.—
Jahan Marcu,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In September, Typhoon Ragasa brought destructive winds and torrential rain to the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China as the strongest storm in the region this year.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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While Indonesia’s latest quakes did not generate tsunami alerts, past events have shown that similar offshore earthquakes can trigger destructive waves.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The user shared another clip in the thread that followed, showing the G1 breaking into a room like a burglar, shattering a glass door.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
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But to have somebody that's a main character like that actually get killed was something that was shattering to everybody.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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DiMarco’s participation became a highlight of the event, with the student asking thoughtful questions about overcoming imposter syndrome and handling rejection.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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And that religion, like music, can carry the sound of struggle – but also the hope of one day overcoming the injustices and inequalities of everyday life.—
Ken Chitwood,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Chiefs have seen some of league’s premier running backs — such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — and have met each challenge, preventing those elite players from ruining the defensive game plan.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
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Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastating. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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