as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the sheer devastation of the housing development by the forest fire
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Recent Examples of devastation
The Palestinian American poet Noor Hindi and the Sudanese American poet Safia Elhillo described the devastation of their homelands.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
The conflict that ended in 1992 resulted in the deaths of 75,000 civilians, forced more than a million Salvadorans to flee the country and caused severe economic devastation for those who remained.
—Yamlek Mojica, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Vendors sell coco frio, welitos play dominos, Black and brown women adorn themselves at a nail salon, and workers continue to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane María.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 9 Feb. 2026
The news at the time showed us the terrible devastation that occurred.
—Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Yet the humor masks devastation.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026
Despite the devastation, district leaders say the community has remained determined to rebuild.
—Conor McGill, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
At the time of its release, in 2018, the track became synonymous with a message of resilience for Puerto Ricans after the devastation of Hurricane María.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
After the devastation of World War II, Europe was not searching for novelty.
—Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2026
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
The conflict that ended in 1992 resulted in the deaths of 75,000 civilians, forced more than a million Salvadorans to flee the country and caused severe economic devastation for those who remained.
—Yamlek Mojica, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Vendors sell coco frio, welitos play dominos, Black and brown women adorn themselves at a nail salon, and workers continue to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane María.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 9 Feb. 2026
The news at the time showed us the terrible devastation that occurred.
—Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Yet the humor masks devastation.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026
Despite the devastation, district leaders say the community has remained determined to rebuild.
—Conor McGill, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
At the time of its release, in 2018, the track became synonymous with a message of resilience for Puerto Ricans after the devastation of Hurricane María.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
After the devastation of World War II, Europe was not searching for novelty.
—Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastation
Noun
-
Starring Elordi and Barry Keoghan, Fennell’s dark comedy about class resentment and covetous destruction was sold on the promise of erotic excess.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Though once vital to the economy of the American territory, Puerto Rico’s sugar plantations evolved to represent the destruction and exploitation of colonialism that continues to impact the region today—a detail not lost on those cast as grass.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This is about Tom Homan and Greg Bovino and Kristi Noem and all the other immigration officials that have wrought so much unfounded havoc.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Expect Williams and Murphy to wreak similar havoc.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Well, at least there’s a Super Bowl ad that addresses the frustration many may be feeling, courtesy of the company that provides pills for hair loss, weight loss and libido loss.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Payton’s longtime assistant, Lombardi was fired a few days after the Broncos’ AFC Championship Game loss.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For people accustomed to the idea that nature was eternal and unchanging, Holmes observes, the idea of extinction was profoundly troubling.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Starship launches from Starbase Musk has often spoken about his vision of colonizing other worlds in our solar system to ensure humanity's survival in the event of an extinction-level even on Earth.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The site is slated for demolition and redevelopment into Mae Street Village.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The gift from Zuckerberg and Meta will fund abatement, demolition, and initial construction of the campus, enabling new student housing alongside new academic spaces, including STEM facilities and an AI center.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devastation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastation. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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