devastation
AmericanOther Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of devastation
1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin dēvastātiōn- (stem of dēvastātiō ), equivalent to Latin dēvastāt ( us ) ( see devastate) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
When there's devastation, there's terrible destruction. You can see the devastation from a violent hurricane and feel devastation over all the people that were injured. When a natural disaster causes widespread death and destruction, that's devastation. This is a strong word that suggests serious damage has occurred, leaving almost nothing left. One knocked over car isn't devastation, but a whole town being wiped out is. People can also feel devastation — it's a kind of extreme sadness or state of feeling emotionally wrecked.
Vocabulary lists containing devastation
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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.
See Examples For:
Upon hearing Poland’s order, Eatherly closed his eyes in a look of utter devastation.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
The mall’s survival amid the community’s devastation was not without controversy given Caruso’s use of private firefighters to ward off the flames.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Nontheless, scarred by the devastation of the 2025 Palisades fire, 2024 Franklin fire and 2018 Woolsey fire, Malibuites take fire safety seriously.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Since hearing about the devastation caused by the blast at the Taff's Well quarry, Allen said it was "frightening".
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
But I couldn’t let my own devastation show.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Reeves met Friday with Biden, who was in Rolling Fork, Miss., to survey the devastations from last month’s tornadoes.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 1, 2023
The Indus River, which caused much of the devastations in Sindh, is now at normal levels, though authorities say it will take another two months to completely drain the water.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2022
For all of its devastations, the war helped feed his interest in architecture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2022
Like many of the songs on Punisher, I Know The End juxtaposes Bridgers' personal devastations with those of the world crumbling outside her front door.
From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2020
Though ultimately hunted down in Arcadia and induced to leave the province, Alaric had time to execute systematic devastations which crippled Greece for several decades.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 4 "Grasshopper" to "Greek Language" by Various
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.
