devastate
verb (used with object)
to lay waste; render desolate.
was devastating
-
past progressiveof devastate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
“As you can imagine, this was devastating news for SW. The man she believed would spend the rest of his life in prison had been released,” Fryoff said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
For those who had just taken in the first shock, the second was devastating.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
“It was devastating to me,” Addicks, 58, said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
The result was devastating: Shepherd removed Matthew Cross, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson and Safyaan Sharif for no run in five balls.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
I might be foggy about my history, but I knew what a fire could do in this time period, and it was devastating.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
