devastation
AmericanOther Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of devastation
1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin dēvastātiōn- (stem of dēvastātiō ), equivalent to Latin dēvastāt ( us ) ( see devastate) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
When there's devastation, there's terrible destruction. You can see the devastation from a violent hurricane and feel devastation over all the people that were injured. When a natural disaster causes widespread death and destruction, that's devastation. This is a strong word that suggests serious damage has occurred, leaving almost nothing left. One knocked over car isn't devastation, but a whole town being wiped out is. People can also feel devastation — it's a kind of extreme sadness or state of feeling emotionally wrecked.
Vocabulary lists containing devastation
Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: September 4 - 8, 2017
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Stargirl
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Early on, Mr. Altman compared AI to nuclear power and was concerned that if the technology went rogue, it could cause devastation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Irwin has had a front row seat to the devastation caused by wildfires while representing Pacific Palisades and Malibu in the state Assembly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Osinski said it would cause "regional devastation on a scale that would wipe out major cities and have global climate impacts."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
But despite the overwhelming death and devastation, such cultural losses run deep.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
But it is not permissible that the authors of devastation should also be innocent.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
They are still hurting, still missing the loved ones they lost, and they must surely be forever on alert for similar devastations that could come and upend their lives again.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
Tucson’s crater-like monument notwithstanding, these impacts feel less like the strikes of meteors than the devastations of a cancer devouring us from within.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 26, 2023
The Indus River, which caused much of the devastations in Sindh, is now at normal levels, though authorities say it will take another two months to completely drain the water.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2022
A gifted, relentless self-promoter, he devoted his picaresque life to convincing people that he, as visionary truth-teller, would repeatedly rise from life’s devastations to triumph over the opprobrium of a blinkered society.
From New York Times ● Oct. 1, 2019
I hold that their multiplication and their devastations are largely incited by the degeneracy of our plants caused by the badness of our culture.
From What I know of farming: a series of brief and plain expositions of practical agriculture as an art based upon science by Horace Greeley
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.
