devastated
Americanadjective
-
laid waste; made desolate.
After the earthquake there were concerns about asbestos in the rubble of many of the devastated houses.
-
overwhelmed or shocked, especially by profound loss, disappointment, humiliation, etc..
I’m grateful that no one I knew personally died in the hurricane, but my heart goes out to all those devastated families.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of devastated
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.
When Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971, it was among the world's poorest countries, with its economy devastated by war.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
James maintained his equipoise at the news, but his friends could tell that that he was devastated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
David Knott, director of horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, said they were "desperately sad, devastated" by the news.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
“The whole community is devastated since then,” Fleurijean said.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2026
His mother, who loves his hair, will be devastated.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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