as in destroyed
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1
as in ravaged
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the city was devastated, first by the earthquake and then by fires
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2
as in ruined
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the explosion devastated an entire city block
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3
as in overwhelmed
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
we were devastated by the awful news of his death
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Recent Examples of devastated
Alissa Simon, Variety, 7 Dec. 2024
Syrian government forces battled the rebels for months in 2016 to reclaim the devastated city.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 3 Dec. 2024
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
Will the oil-rich Arab states help rebuild the Syrian economy, which has been devastated by war?
—Ghassan E. El-Eid, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for devastated 
Adjective
As Matar shares the group’s astounding, exuberant videos shot amid devastated landscapes, Zuiater finds hope and resistance in their activities.
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 7 Dec. 2024
Syrian government forces battled the rebels for months in 2016 to reclaim the devastated city.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
The $110 billion in disaster assistance that will likely be included in a spending deal includes money for FEMA, which has been responding to the hurricanes that devastated the southeast this fall.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
Will the oil-rich Arab states help rebuild the Syrian economy, which has been devastated by war?
—Ghassan E. El-Eid, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for devastated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastated
Verb
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Israel responded with a devastating campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion that have killed more than 45,000 people, destroyed much of the enclave and displaced nearly two million.Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
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Almost all of Gaza’s other schools are either shuttered, destroyed or have been converted into shelters for the displaced.Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Lions have been overwhelmed by defensive injuries that would turn most teams into quivering jelly.Steve Silverman, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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She was overwhelmed by the detail and also by the justifications that Gerry had written.Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Collegiate sports have been ruined by the NCAA.Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024
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This holiday season has been ruined for many users with a frightening surge in web fraud and phishing emails.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Finally, the wall that had the last remaining barely visible image of Christ was demolished.Noe Padilla, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Dec. 2024
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Years later, the elder sister is told that the camp will be demolished soon by her deceased sister.Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The 1995-97 newspaper strike scrambled the lives of many and wrecked a good deal of camaraderie.Tim Kiska, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024
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So many of those at highest risk are too young to remember the days when HIV wrecked communities.Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 19 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Devastated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastated. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
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