devastating
Americanadjective
-
tending or threatening to devastate.
a devastating fire.
-
satirical, ironic, or caustic in an effective way.
a devastating portrayal of society.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- devastatingly adverb
- undevastating adjective
- undevastatingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of devastating
First recorded in 1625–35; devastat(e) + -ing 2
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.
EPA chief Lee Zeldin visited Los Angeles with the head of the Small Business Administration to address what they called unacceptable delays in granting building permits after last year’s devastating fires.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Feeling like this milestone was within reach, only to have it slip away because of the pressure you’re being put under to choose another property, is devastating.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
He warned that the long-term health consequences of the pollution are "devastating".
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Against Spurs, Russo showcased the full range of her striking skillset to devastating effect.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
The hospital employed top-notch military surgeons and offered excellent rehabilitation services, geared to handle the most devastating of battlefield injuries.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
