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
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.
"I am truly devastated to have to withdraw from the Asian Cup," she wrote.
From Barron's
The stocks could rebound, at least in the short term, after a devastating slide.
From Barron's
“It’s nothing spectacular or devastating,” said Scott Lincicome, vice president of economics and trade at the libertarian research firm Cato Institute.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald admitted his players were "devastated" but any inquest into the failure would only begin "when we exit the shores here".
From Barron's
His character was killed off early in Season 9 after a devastating Season 8 plane crash that also claimed the life of Leigh’s Lexie.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
