as in destroyed
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the hurricane ravaged the state and caused billions of dollars worth of damage
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Recent Examples of ravaged
Those playoff hopes are gone, with the Panthers all but mathematically eliminated from postseason contention as injuries ravaged their roster and kept them on the outside looking in of the playoff picture all season.
—
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
The displaced here have fled the drought that has ravaged swaths of this Horn of Africa nation after four failed rain seasons.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Kentucky was ravaged by injuries this season, but first-weekend losses aren’t the results Big Blue Nation expects in March.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Resident Dave Levy said his basement continues to be ravaged by floods on and off over the past five years.
—Dave Savini, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
One person died after a fire ravaged a Harlem apartment building on Sunday, according to the FDNY.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
The strait has been ravaged by Iranian missile, drone and mine attacks during the war.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
The vigilantes in Guajes de Ayala join a volatile landscape of warring armed groups — from cartels with tentacles across Latin America to local mafias — in regions like Guerrero ravaged by splintering cartels for decades.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington ordered troops to be inoculated against smallpox, which had ravaged the Continental Army and was scaring away recruits.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
The displaced here have fled the drought that has ravaged swaths of this Horn of Africa nation after four failed rain seasons.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Kentucky was ravaged by injuries this season, but first-weekend losses aren’t the results Big Blue Nation expects in March.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Resident Dave Levy said his basement continues to be ravaged by floods on and off over the past five years.
—Dave Savini, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
One person died after a fire ravaged a Harlem apartment building on Sunday, according to the FDNY.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
The strait has been ravaged by Iranian missile, drone and mine attacks during the war.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
The vigilantes in Guajes de Ayala join a volatile landscape of warring armed groups — from cartels with tentacles across Latin America to local mafias — in regions like Guerrero ravaged by splintering cartels for decades.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington ordered troops to be inoculated against smallpox, which had ravaged the Continental Army and was scaring away recruits.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ravaged
Verb
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First Baptist Dallas will break ground on its new sanctuary on Sunday, June 7, after a massive fire destroyed the church's 134-year-old sanctuary in the summer of 2024, the church announced on Sunday.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The diplomat also said that the IDF’s targeting of bridges along Lebanon’s Litani River has destroyed vital infrastructure connecting the south to the rest of the country.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The mother of a 7-month-old girl killed by a stray bullet while sitting in her stroller in Brooklyn is devastated by Wednesday's horrific tragedy.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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On May 18, 1980, the north slope of Mount Saint Helens, a volcanic peak in the Cascades Range, was blasted away in an eruption that killed 57 people and devastated an area of approximately 200 square miles.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The three runners whose chances of victory were ruined — Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat — are now invited to compete at the 2026 World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen in September.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2026
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That passive-aggressive email ruined your mood, but the feedback about your project was pretty accurate.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ravaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ravaged. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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