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.

"We were devastated and worried for him," she said.

From BBC

Bryan Simpson, hospitality organiser with the Unite union, described the events as "morally repugnant" and said staff were "devastated".

From BBC

Sadly, the star missed the show, posting on Instagram that she was "devastated I won't be able to make it".

From BBC

Writing about the vandalism, Fergus said: "I'm devastated someone could be so cruel and hurtful to my James."

From BBC

"Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather," Sedaka's family posted on his Facebook page, describing him as a "true rock and roll legend."

From Barron's

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