devastating

[ dev-uh-stey-ting ]
See synonyms for devastating on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. tending or threatening to devastate: a devastating fire.

  2. satirical, ironic, or caustic in an effective way: a devastating portrayal of society.

Origin of devastating

1
First recorded in 1625–35; devastat(e) + -ing2

Other words from devastating

  • dev·as·tat·ing·ly, adverb
  • un·dev·as·tat·ing, adjective
  • un·dev·as·tat·ing·ly, adverb

Words Nearby devastating

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use devastating in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for devastating

devastating

/ (ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪŋ) /


adjective
  1. extremely effective in a destructive way: a devastating war; a devastating report on urban deprivation

Derived forms of devastating

  • devastatingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012