devastative

adjective

Definition of devastativenext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastative
  1. devastating
  2. disastrous
  3. destructive
Adjective
  • That status quo has been marked by a drumbeat of devastating fires in recent years and increasing worries about more in the future.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The moment when the couple’s infant child is taken from them by the authorities is devastating, each of them capturing a sense of helpless isolation from themselves, their community and each other.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of devastating
Adjective
  • In part, this is a story about the short-term desperation of Republicans in the face of midterms that seem set to be disastrous.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Formed in the aftermath of a disastrous mountain war with China in 1962, the ITBP operates in some of the most inhospitable terrain on Earth.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Simon is expected to make landfall early tomorrow, bringing heavy rain, destructive waves and potentially life-threatening flooding and mudslides, according to the National Hurricane Center.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Hirose, who also writes and edits, has constructed a brilliantly volatile scenario, vulnerable to any number of potentially explosive and destructive dramatic developments.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of destructive
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.

Browse Nearby Words

devastations
devastative
develop
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Cite this Entry

“Devastative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastative. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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