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
Derived 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.
Devastated, Solovyov could no longer find the strength to work and took early retirement.
From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026
Appeared in the September 24, 2025, print edition as 'Camp Mystic, Devastated by Floods, to Reopen'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 24, 2025
"Devastated doesn't even come close. So grateful for the incredible people around me. ACL round 2 - let's go."
From BBC • May 28, 2025
Devastated, Jerry sought solace with David’s old basketball, shooting for hours at a neighbor’s house or a makeshift basket he’d put up in the backyard.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2024
Devastated by the harsh notices, Marian vowed never to sing again.
From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman
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.
