as in destroying
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the hurricane ravaged the state and caused billions of dollars worth of damage
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as in ravage
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Recent Examples of ravaging
Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2025
Spain is deploying 500 more soldiers to fight wildfires ravaging the country, as southern Europe faces a wave of extreme climate events fueled by heatwaves.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2025
France commenced the latest calls to recognize a Palestinian state when President Emmanuel Macron announced his decision last month, citing the starvation ravaging Gaza’s population.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2025
Hero Ellen Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) lonely fight for survival gave way to a military mission to vanquish aliens ravaging a human colony; Cameron filled the frame with cocky Marines, boxy space tanks, and an adorable orphan who finds in Ripley a surrogate mother.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
But on an evening back in July, inordinate rainfall led to unrelenting floodwaters ravaging the lower level of Pledger’s home.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2025
Spain is deploying 500 more soldiers to fight wildfires ravaging the country, as southern Europe faces a wave of extreme climate events fueled by heatwaves.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2025
France commenced the latest calls to recognize a Palestinian state when President Emmanuel Macron announced his decision last month, citing the starvation ravaging Gaza’s population.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2025
Hero Ellen Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) lonely fight for survival gave way to a military mission to vanquish aliens ravaging a human colony; Cameron filled the frame with cocky Marines, boxy space tanks, and an adorable orphan who finds in Ripley a surrogate mother.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ravaging
Verb
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The two initial quakes flattened villages in both provinces, destroying more than 6,700 homes, and rescue workers pulled bodies from the rubble on Thursday.—
Mohammad Yunus Yawar,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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As Greengrass was editing the picture, wildfires tore through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in Southern California, killing residents and destroying homes.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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From delivering disaster relief during devastating recent floods to investing in food banks, the business’ presence extends far beyond its checkout lines.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
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While the negative human-health effects of smoke from the Glass Fire have been well documented, the toxic brown blanket covering the Napa Valley is also devastating bee populations, said local beekeeper John Sevigny.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The wrecking begins when Carey (Marvin), Paul’s best friend, ill-advisedly sleeps with Julie—and then, more ill-advisedly still, confesses it to Paul the next day.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Critical wildlife habitat may be put at risk for alteration or wholesale destruction.—
Ryan Gellert,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
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But tenants have little legal footing to stand on in combating that destruction.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the filing, Omni Hotels outlined a five-year timeframe that would get the site fully designed, permitted and prepared for construction, noting construction would not start until at least five years after the demolishing of the buildings on site.—
Matthew Glowicki,
The Courier-Journal,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Stringer/Sputnik via AP What To Know Broadly desecration of a flag refers to any action that damages or disrespects it—such as burning it, urinating or defecating on it, defacing it, stepping on it, damaging it with stones or bullets, cutting or ripping it and many others.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
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The decision upheld a Texas Court of Appeals ruling that reversed Gregory Lee Johnson’s conviction under a Texas law banning flag desecration.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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To call it a Life Ruiner is not to say that a life of letters is necessarily ruination—but rather, to identify it as the book . . .—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
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Fetterman and McCormick set for high-stakes Pennsylvania forum MAJOR HEADLINES ‘DAMAGING DECISION’ – Trump says tariff ruling could lead to 'economic ruination' of US.—
,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ravaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ravaging. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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