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Synonyms

devastating

American  
[dev-uh-stey-ting] / ˈdɛv əˌsteɪ tɪŋ /

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 British  
/ ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪŋ /

adjective

  1. extremely effective in a destructive way

    a devastating war

    a devastating report on urban deprivation
"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

Other Word Forms

  • devastatingly adverb
  • undevastating adjective
  • undevastatingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of devastating

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

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.

Obviously, his inability to retain 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara was frustrating and ultimately devastating.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

But what makes her so devastating is the sheer volume of 3-pointers she can reel off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Feeling like this milestone was within reach, only to have it slip away because of the pressure you’re being put under to choose another property, is devastating.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

He warned that the long-term health consequences of the pollution are "devastating".

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The missiles gave the Soviets the ability to strike the United States in minutes with devastating force.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

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.