Synonyms

devastated

American

[dev-uh-stey-tid] / ˈdɛv əˌsteɪ tɪd /

adjective

laid waste; made desolate.

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

the simple past tense and past participle of devastate.

Other Word Forms

undevastated adjective

Etymology

Origin of devastated

devastate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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.

“Aquaman” star Jason Momoa has revealed he was forced to evacuate his family’s Hawaii home after a dangerous storm devastated the area with historic flooding.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

The population in the Asheville, N.C., area, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, shed domestic migrants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

"The transatlantic slave trade was a crime against humanity that struck at the core of personhood, broke up families, and devastated communities," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

That section of town, which would end up among the most devastated, never received an evacuation warning.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

“His parents were devastated, of course, M. Beaumier and Mme. Beaumier,” she continued.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023