devastating
Americanadjective
-
tending or threatening to devastate.
a devastating fire.
-
satirical, ironic, or caustic in an effective way.
a devastating portrayal of society.
adjective
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.
Itauma's devastating power is undeniable, once again on display as he dispatched a seasoned opponent inside the first half of the fight.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
She said historical forced adoption caused "unimaginable trauma for multiple generations of women and profound, often devastating impacts for their children".
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
As handled by Ms. Littman, it’s matter-of-fact, a fate that lands with a plain, inarguable thud, and devastating all the same.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
Through Valerie, Kudrow slyly performs our terminal habit of downgrading devastating developments to champagne problems, merrily chirping her character’s catchphrase, “How’s that?”
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
When that combined motion is in the ground beneath your feet, the effects can be devastating.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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.
