as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
that kind of devastative tornado can tear the roof off of a house in a matter of seconds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastative
Adjective
-
The Battle of the Gullet proves devastating for the Blacks, even if the blockade remains intact.
-
In 1876, at the Centennial, the United States was still recovering from a devastating Civil War.
Adjective
-
The loss of experience and military brainpower had disastrous consequences, especially in Russian lives lost, during the Winter War against Finland and the early stages of World War II against Nazi Germany.
-
Some prominent Democrats are warning that Mamdani’s success could spell doom for their party in November, arguing that what works in New York City would be disastrous in the heartland.
Adjective
-
Historically, the country has experienced destructive earthquakes, including the 1967 Caracas earthquake, which killed hundreds and caused severe damage in the capital.
-
Since her passing, Sonoma County experienced the most destructive wildfires in California history in 2017, only for another, more destructive fire to surpass it a year later.
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Devastative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastative. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
