devastate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to lay waste; render desolate.
The invaders devastated the city.
-
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.
verb
-
to lay waste or make desolate; ravage; destroy
-
to confound or overwhelm, as with grief or shock
Synonym Usage
See ravage.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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devastatesimple
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devastatessimple
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have devastatedperfect
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has devastatedperfect
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am devastatingprogressive
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are devastatingprogressive
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is devastatingprogressive
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have been devastatingperfect progressive
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has been devastatingperfect progressive
Past
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devastatedsimple
-
had devastatedperfect
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was devastatingprogressive
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were devastatingprogressive
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had been devastatingperfect progressive
Future
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; see origin at de-, waste ( def. ), -ate 1
Explanation
If a storm devastates your town, it comes pretty close to destroying it. To devastate is to cause destruction to or overwhelm. Really bad news can devastate a person, or leave them devastated. They are so upset, they feel crushed. A basketball team can devastate an opponent by running roughshod over their defense. The root of the word is the Latin vastare which means to lay waste, which comes from vastus meaning desolate or empty. Imagine a city laid waste after a major earthquake and you've got the picture!
Vocabulary lists containing devastate
List 5
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Divergent
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Tears of a Tiger
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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:
Hibbs said: "Natural England's approach will devastate the Dartmoor hill pony population, it will make farms financially unviable and it's extremely doubtful there will be any environmental benefit."
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
Two southeast Los Angeles cities proposed a sales tax increase to offset the financial impact of California’s blackjack ban, which officials said would devastate their local economies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
A cutoff of exports would devastate U.S. industries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
Healthcare alone can devastate even carefully planned budgets.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 3, 2026
“It would devastate intelligence agencies across the globe,” he reasoned.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
It’s a burden that not only devastates families financially but also takes a toll on their health.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 23, 2026
“I think it’s that scarring, mental-health-wise. It just really devastates a person in a way they can’t come back from.”
From New York Times ● Jun. 6, 2024
The world is once again watching, as El Niño devastates coral reefs throughout the Indian Ocean.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2024
Many people have no idea they are infected, going years without symptoms before the blood-borne virus devastates the liver.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2024
Agricultural societies are ravaged by famine when drought, fire or earthquake devastates the annual rice or potato crop.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Researchers from Oregon State University estimate 69,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in Venezuela’s beachside communities like those in Catia La Mar, a 45-minute drive from Caracas in the devastated coastal state of La Guaira.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
They are missing out on a World Cup final because of the tactics, they will be devastated.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
More than a year after the Eaton fire devastated their community, returning to their beloved Altadena neighborhood finally seemed within reach for Baba Singh and his family.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Scientists have uncovered why some amphibian populations rebound after being devastated by a deadly fungal disease that has wiped out frogs and toads around the world.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
I figured I'd always have my family and was devastated when my sister Amy brought home a candy-colored laptop.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
For those who had just taken in the first shock, the second was devastating.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
Religious or spiritual beliefs can also influence one’s reaction to a devastating diagnosis.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
That’s the estimated cost of rebuilding Venezuela after devastating twin earthquakes last month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
"It's absolutely devastating that I have to prioritise certain things and not give them the world that they deserve," she says.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
His father had been a fisherman, so the sea's transformation was devastating to them.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
