as in ravage
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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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Recent Examples of ravaging
Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
The question of whether or not Uniqlo is fast fashion or sustainable fashion or ethical fashion has perhaps become irrelevant in a world in which fashion—no modifier needed—is increasingly culpable for the ravaging of the planet.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
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
Her consistent binge sessions are ravaging her spirit.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Already the fires ravaging the hillsides forced 50,000 people to evacuate.
—Javier Torres, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Of course, this being 1985, the rapidly escalating AIDS epidemic was already ravaging gay communities worldwide.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
The program centers in part on combating the spread of the European green crab, an invasive species that is ravaging local ecosystems.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
Hurricane Melissa, currently ravaging the Caribbean, is a perfect example of why climate adaptation finance is so badly needed.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Sean Paul is doing his part to help minimize and repair the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which is currently ravaging his homeland of Jamaica.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
But Haynes reminds her church flock to respond with love to the ravaging of their inclusive gesture.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
The question of whether or not Uniqlo is fast fashion or sustainable fashion or ethical fashion has perhaps become irrelevant in a world in which fashion—no modifier needed—is increasingly culpable for the ravaging of the planet.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Because the nerves were already ravaging his poise.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
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
Her consistent binge sessions are ravaging her spirit.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Already the fires ravaging the hillsides forced 50,000 people to evacuate.
—Javier Torres, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Of course, this being 1985, the rapidly escalating AIDS epidemic was already ravaging gay communities worldwide.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
The program centers in part on combating the spread of the European green crab, an invasive species that is ravaging local ecosystems.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
Hurricane Melissa, currently ravaging the Caribbean, is a perfect example of why climate adaptation finance is so badly needed.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Sean Paul is doing his part to help minimize and repair the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which is currently ravaging his homeland of Jamaica.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ravaging
Verb
-
The Pentagon has generally lumped it into the first objective of destroying Iran’s missile capability.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
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
Noun
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At least, there was a lot less wrecking.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Our team found that a hospital cyberattack cut the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest without devastating brain damage by nearly 90% at nearby hospitals, not just the one that was attacked.—
Christian Dameff,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Israel has stepped up assassinations of top Iranian officials in recent days, in what the Israel Defense Forces said was a push to undermine command and control in Iran after more than two weeks of devastating airstrikes that have wiped out military infrastructure but not dislodged the regime.—
Victoria Craw,
Washington Post,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Officials haven't been able to assess the destruction fully but the cost of the storm could top $1 billion, including damage to airports, schools, roads, people's homes and a Maui hospital in Kula, Green said.—
Matt Gutman,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Crews continued to assess the destruction Monday, but authorities said hundreds of homes had been damaged, along with some schools and a hospital.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
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
-
In both films, the effect is of a diminution, a depersonalization—not to say, a desecration of the experience of horror that the documentary element embodies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Brothers Keith and Terrence Nicks were found guilty by separate juries of desecration of human remains, removal of human remains and removal of more than 10 gravestones and markers.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The only thing that would satisfy the gremlin in me is the ruination of my freedom.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2026
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On the left side of the stage, the ruination of the world around Tuesday and Weeks is symbolized by the show’s most astonishing physical feature: Shipley’s magnificent creation of glow-in-the-dark coral-like formations clinging to two other columns.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ravaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ravaging. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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