- present participle of devastate.
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
Etymology
Origin of devastating
First recorded in 1625–35; devastat(e) + -ing 2
Explanation
Something that's shocking and distressing is devastating. Watching the local ice cream shop burn to the ground would be devastating to many neighborhood kids. Incredibly destructive events like earthquakes are devastating, although anything that's tragic, even on a personal level, can also be devastating. It's also used informally to mean incredibly affecting or impressive, like a photographer's devastating images of urban poverty. This meaning came into use in the late 1800s — before that, devastating came right from the Latin word devastare, "to lay waste completely."
Vocabulary lists containing devastating
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Hatchet
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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.
That’s the estimated cost of rebuilding Venezuela after devastating twin earthquakes last month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
A devastating wildfire that has been ablaze for three days in the Cairngorms is still "burning hard", residents have warned.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
"This devastating news will only add to the immense pain and grief suffered by the families and friends of Holly and Bianca."
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
More devastating, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, mocked Trump’s plan to charge tolls.
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026
The loss had been devastating to both Yuko and Kathy.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
