devastated

[dev-uh-stey-tid]

adjective

1. laid waste; made desolate.

   After the earthquake there were concerns about asbestos in the rubble of many of the devastated houses.

2. 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

1. the simple past tense and past participle of devastate.

Other Word Forms

• undevastated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of devastated¹

devastate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

"It really devastated and shocked me," he says.

From BBC

"The people of Gaza cannot bear that. They are devastated, exhausted, desperate and hopeless," he said.

From BBC

Not all communities devastated by wildfire have struggled the same, the Times analysis shows.

From Los Angeles Times

Both devastated neighborhoods and fire survivors face an unpredictable future that, given the recent intensity of wildfires in California, many more areas will have to face.

From Los Angeles Times

She told the Guardian she was left devastated after experiencing a miscarriage but was advised by a doctor that she would be able to honour her performance schedule.

From BBC

Related Words

• broken 
• demolished www.thesaurus.com
• lost 
• ravaged 
• ruined www.thesaurus.com
• shattered 
• smashed 
• wrecked