devastating

[dev-uh-stey-ting]

adjective

1. tending or threatening to devastate.

   a devastating fire.

2. satirical, ironic, or caustic in an effective way.

   a devastating portrayal of society.

devastating

/ ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪŋ /

adjective

1. extremely effective in a destructive way

   a devastating war

   a devastating report on urban deprivation

Other Word Forms

• devastatingly adverb
• undevastating adjective
• undevastatingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of devastating¹

First recorded in 1625–35; devastat(e) + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Then there are sea drones: uncrewed vessels that can travel either on or below the surface, as used with devastating effect by Ukraine against Russia's Black Sea fleet.

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Khatam-al-Anbiya, an IRGC-owned company, used its unrestricted mandate to divert waterways to favored constituencies, often with devastating human and environmental consequences.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"After a lengthy discussion where I was made to feel like a criminal, I had to make the decision to leave. It felt quite devastating. It felt unfair."

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Anti-graft investigators said around $100 million had been embezzled from the energy sector, causing outrage in a country where Russian attacks have resulted in devastating power outages.

Read more on Barron's

Last season, the Trojans blew five fourth-quarter leads and lost five of their last seven games in devastating fashion down the stretch.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• calamitous 
• destructive 
• disastrous 
• overwhelming