devastating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈde-və-ˌstā-tiŋ How to pronounce devastating (audio)
Definition of devastatingnext
as in disastrous
causing or tending to cause destruction a devastating blow to our morale

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

devastating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of devastate
1
as in ravaging
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 destroying
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 overwhelming
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress we were devastated by the awful news of his death

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of devastating
Adjective
Mark paints a devastating account of what happens when a private grief becomes prematurely public. — Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 31 July 2026 The writing included devastating news for the family members. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026
Verb
To date, none of the storms have been devastating enough to warrant having their names retired. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 21 July 2026 Instead, Trump talks about devastating Iran’s infrastructure – hitting bridges and power plants. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for devastating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastating
  1. disastrous
  2. ravaging
  3. destroying
  4. overwhelming
  5. destructive
  6. shattering
  7. overcoming
  8. deadly
Adjective
  • Following a disastrous 3-14 season, the Jets selected three players in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Experiments In Offline Dating by Kat Mackenzie Maya Davis travels to Ireland to find love the old-fashioned way for her dating podcast, only to endure the most disastrous blind date of her life with a gruff sheep farmer.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
Definition of disastrous
Verb
  • Julien De Rosa | Afp | Getty Images Firefighters stand by their vehicle as the battle a forest fire in Saint-Jean-d’Illac, some 30km from Bordeaux, on July 26, 2026 as a wildfire has been ravaging the forest north of the Arcachon Basin (Gironde).
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 27 July 2026
  • France’s interior minister, Laurent Nunez, said the wildfire ravaging large swaths of southwestern France was heading toward the city of Bordeaux.
    — Caroline Blumberg, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of ravaging
Verb
  • The fire ripped through hillside neighborhoods, destroying mansions with spectacular ocean views.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • At that tipping point, the only solution is for oil prices to surge, destroying enough demand for oil that the market can return to equilibrium.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • Could Cape Verde turn its sudden global fame into tourism that benefits the islands without overwhelming the places already under pressure?
    — Emese Maczko, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In a single day, some 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain’s tiny Ceuta enclave, overwhelming the city, leaving thousands homeless and at least 41 people dead.
    — Sergio Rodrigo Ruíz, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of overwhelming
Adjective
  • The blaze in Spokane County is unfolding during a wildfire year that so far has been historically destructive across the United States.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The Associated Press reported in December that two NATO-nation intelligence services suspect Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to target Musk’s Starlink constellation with destructive orbiting clouds of shrapnel.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of destructive
Verb
  • Anna’s colleague Noa Toussaint (CCH Pounder) follows with a video of Max coercing his mistress into suicide, shattering the narrative that bought his freedom.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Twenty-nine single-family homes sold for $30 million or more in Miami-Dade in 2025, shattering the previous record of 15 homes in 2024.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of shattering
Verb
  • The release came as Ariana dropped her eighth studio album Petal, which explores themes of overcoming negativity and personal growth, on Friday, July 31.
    — Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of overcoming their fatal flaw and defeating their shadow-self, the titular Eternals are reckoning with their relationship to God and the grand arc of human history.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcoming
Adjective
  • Since then, the military have kept her exact whereabouts and condition secret as a deadly civil war has engulfed much of the impoverished Southeast Asian nation.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Moscow mayor calls Saturday's deadly bomb attack on restaurant a 'terrorist act.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of deadly

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Cite this Entry

“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastating. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on devastating

Nglish: Translation of devastating for Spanish Speakers

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