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
Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
If drilling were to occur, Martínez said the effects would be devastating for the habitats within the study areas and the health of those who live around the sites.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
Rain fell, devastating the snowpack.
—Sacbee.com, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Adjective
Residents are concerned by police shooting Neighbors who live in the apartment complex said this shooting concerns them and call it devastating.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
If drilling were to occur, Martínez said the effects would be devastating for the habitats within the study areas and the health of those who live around the sites.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
The ending is a little over the top but also devastating in its own way.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
Rain fell, devastating the snowpack.
—Sacbee.com, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastating
Adjective
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Duke appeared to be too much for the Huskies, who went more than five minutes without scoring during a disastrous first-half stretch to fall behind, 44-25.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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And years later, when the group splintered into increasingly militant factions, some took part in a disastrous bank robbery that killed an innocent guard and two police officers—three men who were just doing their jobs that day, and who left behind their own kids, their own families.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because the nerves were already ravaging his poise.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
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This is a chilling history of a problem still ravaging significant swaths of America — not to mention elsewhere in the world.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Pentagon has generally lumped it into the first objective of destroying Iran’s missile capability.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
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But there may be an answer, or at least a compromise that will satisfy those unhappy with the idea of destroying a usable building.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Robby’s self-contempt and his fears of what the PTMC could become without him are overwhelming his character — and the show too.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
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Any vines that are overwhelming a tree in this fashion need to be removed or drastically pruned.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In December, the country faced a destructive attack on its energy system believed to be unprecedented among NATO and European Union members, and suspected of originating in Russia.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Parts of the Arabian Peninsula and Persian Gulf could be slammed by strong to severe thunderstorms Thursday, bringing the potential for damaging winds, destructive hail and a few tornadoes.—
Matthew Cappucci,
Washington Post,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Martha had a confidence-shattering experience with her previous boyfriend.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Atlanta Police Department During the incident, a stray bullet struck an Atlanta Public Schools bus, shattering one of its windows.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Applicants must write an essay that reflects a background of overcoming adversity, such as growing up in a low-income setting or losing a parent.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Waring and Woodland are both in the midst of overcoming big obstacles of a different nature.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Accused of ruining baseball with their big-spending ways the past two years, the noise has only gotten louder as a labor showdown looms.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
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To figure out its mechanism, Julius’s team had to somehow extract it from cells without ruining the very properties the researchers were trying to understand.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastating. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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