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
Arnaud Kurze, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
To lose a single service member is just a devastating blow.
—Allen G. Breed, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Thom Harris, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Scenario two is that Harbaugh is leveraging the Giants’ rabid interest but ultimately could take a different job, devastating this desperate fan base.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Adjective
Syria endured more than a decade of mass violence, displacement and repression during a devastating civil war.
—Arnaud Kurze, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
To lose a single service member is just a devastating blow.
—Allen G. Breed, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
While an eight-game winning run saw Cherki, Foden and Haaland hit their devastating best, three frustrating draws against Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion were characterised by wastefulness in front of goal.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Scenario two is that Harbaugh is leveraging the Giants’ rabid interest but ultimately could take a different job, devastating this desperate fan base.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastating
Adjective
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And as someone who has done this a long time, Musselman understands that the responsibility for the team’s disastrous stretch run ultimately falls squarely on his shoulders.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Noem’s dissmissal comes after she was berated by lawmakers on Capitol Hill over a series of disastrous blunders by her department, including the killings of two American citizens by border patrol agents in Minneapolis and apparent attempts by DHS to stifle investigations into the shootings.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
6 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 beams would be far brighter than the full moon and, even if carefully pointed, would scatter in the atmosphere to be very bright off-beam, disrupting wildlife and effectively destroying the sky’s remaining natural beauty by erasing the stars from our sight.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
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An estimated 50,000 pounds of ice collapsed the sanctuary roof, destroying nearly everything.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Hull’s statement says MacPherson’s, the largest distributor of art supplies in North America, filed for bankruptcy, throwing the supply chain into chaos and overwhelming the only remaining distributor.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
4 Mar. 2026
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As her maximalist decor evolved, what once was fun and energizing turned into visual clutter, the term for what happens when too many objects, colors, shapes or details compete for attention, overwhelming the brain.—
Jolie Kerr,
Washington Post,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Two of the most destructive wildfires ever in California erupted on the same day last January.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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If China pulls this off, then the tech could allegedly offer a perpetual fountain of clean energy while potentially turning the destructive storms into manageable weather events.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From thunderous victory to shattering downfall, this play delivers sweeping action sequences, political intrigue, and a theatrical experience that hits with the force of a battle drum.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
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That burst of momentum came in a primary that was already shattering spending records.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Whether a brave, thrilling but ultimately unsuccessful attempt at overcoming a seemingly impossible target of 254 to beat India and reach the T20 World Cup final will be enough to make up for England’s desperately disappointing winter.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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His big struggle was overcoming the same challenge most pitchers face after a long layoff.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trump has long mocked Bush for ruining his presidency by invading Iraq, and his administration over the past week has sought to downplay any parallels between Bush’s misadventures and its own attack on Iran.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
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The White House believed that that Iran was intentionally ruining the Mideast peace process, and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich had called Iran the most dangerous nation on Earth.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastating. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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