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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devastated
Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
In just a few hours, the closing announcement attracted hundreds of comments and shares from devastated loyal customers who said the pizza has been a mainstay at local events since their youth.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
NBC news, 19 Apr. 2026
Heal The Bay's mission, which its been conducting since 1985, has taken on new meaning since last January when the Palisades Fire devastated beautiful waterside communities like Malibu and the Pacific Palisades.
—Austin Turner, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastated
Adjective
That the Fendons don’t think to immediately tell their devastated adult son, Harry (Craig Roberts), that his dad is still alive is only the first delightfully absurd wrinkle in this mischievous black comedy.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
In just a few hours, the closing announcement attracted hundreds of comments and shares from devastated loyal customers who said the pizza has been a mainstay at local events since their youth.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Russia has lost one of its military partners in terms of its biggest drone provider, Iran, whose military industrial complex has been absolutely devastated.
—NBC news, 19 Apr. 2026
Heal The Bay's mission, which its been conducting since 1985, has taken on new meaning since last January when the Palisades Fire devastated beautiful waterside communities like Malibu and the Pacific Palisades.
—Austin Turner, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devastated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastated
Verb
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An offense built on length has been ravaged by injuries and some sort of affliction that has the Mets regularly hitting the ball into the ground instead of in the air.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In the years since, the cartel's two warring factions have ravaged the northern Mexican state in their struggle for territorial control.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The assault killed at least seventeen people, including a twelve-year-old boy, wounded dozens, and destroyed buildings.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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The 24 staff members in Ruiz Verduzco’s office are tasked with assisting victims and their families, establishing programs in communities destroyed by violence and drumming up financial support.—
Molly Quell,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Lauersdorf said in a text message he was overwhelmed by the community support from friends, neighbors and complete strangers.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
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But the measure backfired when municipalities’ collection sites were overwhelmed, leading to stockpiles of unused textiles, and the government reversed part of the rule in October.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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She was spurred in part by the election of Kurt Waldheim as president of Austria in 1986; revelations of his Nazi past shattered the myth that the country had been an innocent victim of Hitler.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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Bullets shattered a glass refrigerator door behind Marquise, who fell to the ground right next to the store’s counter.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In recent days, refugees have begun returning to wrecked villages and towns.—
Hussein Ibish,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The firefighters took three injured people out of the wrecked car.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Manchester City await, a team Chelsea have not beaten for five years and who demolished them 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in the league just two weeks ago.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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At the facility, officials found several bodies in hazardous conditions inside the building that was later condemned and demolished by federal environmental regulators as a toxic waste site.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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She was questioned in a legal fight between the camp operators and families of victims who have filed lawsuits and want the camp to preserve damaged areas as evidence.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Its Peptide-132 Hair Bonding Oil is a lightweight fix that helps strengthen damaged bonds, smooth frizz, temporarily seal split ends, and add glossy shine—without weighing hair down.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devastated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastated. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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