as in disastrous
causing or tending to cause destruction
a devastating blow to our morale
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in ravaging
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the city was devastated, first by the earthquake and then by fires
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the explosion devastated an entire city block
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in overwhelming
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
we were devastated by the awful news of his death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devastating
Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
On the other, America is more vulnerable to spectacular, devastating acts of mass violence than any of its peers, and the ominous threat of politically motivated violence is highly disturbing.
—John J. Donohue, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
As a result, homeowners are facing rising insurance costs, reconstruction costs or even no insurance coverage after devastating wildfires.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Adjective
After suffering a devastating pregnancy loss in 2020, the pair grew their brood by two in 2023.
—Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
On the other, America is more vulnerable to spectacular, devastating acts of mass violence than any of its peers, and the ominous threat of politically motivated violence is highly disturbing.
—John J. Donohue, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Between 1959 and 1974, its population fell from 32,000 to 8,700, devastating its commercial core.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
As a result, homeowners are facing rising insurance costs, reconstruction costs or even no insurance coverage after devastating wildfires.
—Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastating
Adjective
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The effect was disastrous, my hair crimped weirdly, with sections shooting out in different directions like the discordant notes of an orchestra tuning up.—
Rachel Kushner,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
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The mid-quarter update offered a glimmer of hope after Six Flags’ disastrous second quarter earnings report in August.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But on an evening back in July, inordinate rainfall led to unrelenting floodwaters ravaging the lower level of Pledger’s home.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Sep. 2025
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Spain is deploying 500 more soldiers to fight wildfires ravaging the country, as southern Europe faces a wave of extreme climate events fueled by heatwaves.—
Tasneem Nashrulla,
semafor.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The military has also been targeting and destroying high-rise buildings surrounding displacement camps, crowding Gaza City’s residents into ever-smaller spaces.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Ultimately, North was found guilty of destroying official documents, accepting a home security system as a gift and obstructing Congress in 1989.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As experts, the members of Forbes Business Council have experience implementing customer service best practices without exceeding their budget or overwhelming their team.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Credit Denver’s defensive-line depth, too, which was better than advertised in keeping rookie Cam Ward off balance all day and overwhelming the Titans’ offensive line.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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After my long flight home, I was relieved that the late-night visitor turned out to be nothing more than city workers on the job (and their job in this case, while surprising, didn't turn out to be too destructive).—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
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Just two days later, Tropical Storm Chantal triggered destructive and deadly floods in a narrow strip of North Carolina.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The group also recently stepped out together at a University of Cincinnati football game, which just so happened to be Swift and Kelce’s first public outing since announcing their plans to get married with an internet-shattering post on Instagram in August.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
16 Sep. 2025
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Pamela Warner, mother and manager of the late actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, reflected on the life-shattering moment her son had untimely passed away.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The movie adaptation is also rife with metaphors about boys becoming men and overcoming life-or-death circumstances to make it out the other side.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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But in reality, deepfakes are getting better and the threat industry has many years of experience in honing lures to trick people, playing on emotions and overcoming natural suspicions and objections.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Car designers love them for not ruining the lines of the door with the necessities of real life, but is the benefit from drag reduction worth the safety risk?—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
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And broadcasting your irritation too loudly risks ruining the atmosphere for everyone else just as much as their yelling or off-key chants.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastating. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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