devastating

adjective

dev·as·tat·ing ˈde-və-ˌstā-tiŋ

Synonyms of devastating next

: causing great damage or harm

a devastating flood/earthquake

a devastating injury

A devastating coastal tsunami could also result from a severe displacement of the San Andreas Fault.—

Gary Sandquist

: causing extreme emotional pain

a devastating loss

Even the most banal domestic melodramas, readers come to understand, are experienced as devastating tragedies by children living them for the first time.—

Entertainment Weekly

: extremely effective or powerful

a devastating satire

He had a devastating wit and an utter contempt for shoddy work in physics.—

Jeremy Bernstein

devastatingly

ˈde-və-ˌstā-tiŋ-lē

adverb

Some people recover readily from the infection, but in others it becomes disseminated, spreading rapidly and devastatingly from lungs to bones, skin and nervous system —

Lawrence Galton

Postcards from the Edge is a devastatingly savvy, bitingly funny, yet sad movie based on Carrie Fisher's autobiographical novel about Hollywood. —

Jeffrey Lyons

… is portrayed as a devastatingly effective power broker in the Senate. —

Alan Brinkley

Examples of devastating in a Sentence

a devastating blow to our morale

Recent Examples on the Web Worse, if the Supreme Court accepts the theory that states should have control over federal land, the upshot could be devastating. —

Wes Siler, Outside Online, 16 Sep. 2024 But this is actually a sweet, funny and quietly devastating romantic fantasy, and Plaza’s touching performance is what shapes the dramatic arc, making a tale of springtime into one that begins to approach autumn. —

Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2024 Facing devastating budget deficits, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government gave up on the OECD process that has dragged on for years without resolution. —

Peter Menzies, National Review, 13 Sep. 2024 This excessive rainfall caused devastating flooding in Chad. —

Mary Gilbert, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for devastating

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'devastating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.