devastated
Americanadjective
-
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
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of devastated
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.
Serbian authorities said late Friday they were battling 25 serious forest fires, including one which has devastated 25 square kilometres of land at the Deliblatska national park near Belgrade.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Angie Wade, the tribal historic preservation officer for Chickaloon Village, one of the tribes involved in the lawsuit against the mine, said rampant mining has devastated Chickaloon areas in decades past.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Maesteg Celtic RFC said: "Everyone at the club is devastated by this news and our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time."
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Our family is devastated by this news but find solace in the fact that Jake died doing what he loves in the beautiful Sierra Nevada,” the post from Bailee Moore said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
When they regained consciousness they heard a great deal of noise and saw the forest blazing round them and much of it devastated.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
