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Definition of devastate

devastate

/ˈdɛv.ə.steɪt/
dev · as · tate
Adverb:devastatingly
•
Adjective:devastating
•
Past Simple:devastated
•
Past Participle:devastated
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Present Participle:devastating
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devastate Lexical Profile

devastate Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To destroy or ruin a place or thing completely; to lay waste.

Example

"A severe summer drought threatened to devastate the region's agricultural harvests."

2

To cause someone to feel overwhelming grief, shock, or emotional distress.

Example

"The sudden closure of the community theater promised to devastate the local artists who had worked there for decades."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for devastate

• Nearby Words

devaluate
devaluation
devalue
devastate
devastated
devastating
devastatingly

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin devastatus, the past participle of devastare ('to lay waste'), formed from the intensive prefix de- ('completely') and vastare ('to make empty or desolate'), which is related to vastus ('empty, waste, vast').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Devastate. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/devastate
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