ravaged
Americanadjective
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ravaged
First recorded in 1650–60; ravage ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective; ravage ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb
Explanation
When something is ravaged, it's ruined. A terrible fire could leave behind nothing but the ravaged remains of your house and possessions. Use the adjective ravaged when you describe something that's been wrecked, especially in a violent way. War tends to leave ravaged cities behind, and even a high wind can result in a ravaged back yard, strewn with tree branches. The French root of ravaged is ravager, "lay waste or devastate," which comes from the Old French ravage, "destroy," or most commonly, "destroy by flood."
Vocabulary lists containing ravaged
This Week in Words: September 4 - 8, 2017
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: March 17- 23, 2018
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!
Salt to the Sea
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.
Guitars take the place of shovels, as Henry now repays Carlos’ kindness by helping to save the land that Carlos assumes is ravaged.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Kylie Nidever, 36, saw her neighborhood ravaged by catastrophic floods in central Texas that killed 135 people, including many children.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
Six years after the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world and put society on the fast track for self-destruction, the metaphor initially feels overbearing, another indication that Spielberg is laying it on too thick.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
Somalia last held a one-person, one-vote election in 1969 and has been ravaged by civil war for more than 30 years.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
The looting dates back millennia, with the Inka having ravaged the centers of their predecessors, sometimes reusing art and stonework.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
