devastate
verb (used with object)
to lay waste; render desolate.
were 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.
While statistically insignificant at the population level, such cases were devastating for affected individuals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
“The women told me that the sudden cuts in funding and services were devastating for them; some of the women ended up with unplanned pregnancies,” Siraha said.
From Salon ● Feb. 9, 2026
“The shape of some of his breaking balls were devastating, dropping north to south,” ElAttrache said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2024
Previously, its executive director of children's services Heather Sandy said the deaths were "devastating".
From BBC ● Jan. 18, 2024
They were devastating and primarily leveled both cities, but little was told to the public then except that a new kind of bomb had been used against the Japanese.
From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen
