Synonyms

devastate

American

[dev-uh-steyt] / ˈdɛv əˌsteɪt /

verb (used with object)

devastated, devastating

to lay waste; render desolate.

The invaders devastated the city.

Synonyms:

level, ruin, raze, despoil, sack, destroy

Antonyms:

develop, erect, create
to overwhelm, as with grief or dismay: Those rumors appeared to have devastated her.

We are devastated by this news and deeply saddened by the unexpected loss of our friend.
Those rumors appeared to have devastated her.

devastate British

/ ˈdɛvəˌsteɪt /

verb

to lay waste or make desolate; ravage; destroy
to confound or overwhelm, as with grief or shock

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See ravage.

Other Word Forms

devastation noun
devastative adjective
devastator noun

Etymology

Origin of devastate

First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin dēvastātus “laid waste” (past participle of dēvastāre ), equivalent to dē- + vast(āre) “to lay waste” (akin to vastus “empty”) + -ātus; de-, waste ( def. ), -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the U.S. failed to anticipate the political disruption that followed, with insurrections across Iran, a devastating war with Iraq, instability in the Middle East, and threats to U.S. national security.

From The Wall Street Journal

The devastating effect of storms on seabirds, including the thousands of puffins washing up on the coastline in the South West, Channel Islands and France, has been well documented.

From BBC

Sadly, the star missed the show, posting on Instagram that she was "devastated I won't be able to make it".

From BBC

Writing about the vandalism, Fergus said: "I'm devastated someone could be so cruel and hurtful to my James."

From BBC

Thompson said that recent reports of dead and dying seabirds washing ashore in large numbers from Spain to Scotland, is "devastating".

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023