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Devastate

/ˈdɛvəsteɪt/

To ruin many or all things over a large area, such as most or all buildings of a city, or cities of a region, or trees of a forest.

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "Devastate"

verb

1
To ruin many or all things over a large area, such as most or all buildings of a city, or cities of a region, or trees of a forest.
2
To destroy a whole collection of related ideas, beliefs, and strongly held opinions.
3
To break beyond recovery or repair so that the only options are abandonment or the clearing away of useless remains (if any) and starting over.

🔄 Synonyms of "Devastate"

4 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
desolateverb	Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.
ravageverb	(transitive) To devastate, destroy or lay waste to something.
wastenoun	Excess of material, useless by-products, or damaged, unsaleable products; garbage; rubbish.
lay waste toverb	devastate or ravage

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Devastate"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
ravageverb	(transitive) To devastate, destroy or lay waste to something.
wasteverb	Excess of material, useless by-products, or damaged, unsaleable products; garbage; rubbish.
desolateverb	Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.
lay waste toverb	devastate or ravage
destroyverb	(ambitransitive) To damage beyond use or repair; to damage (something) to the point that it effectively ceases to exist.
ruinverb	To destroy or render something no longer usable or operable.
wreckverb	(transitive) To destroy violently; to cause severe damage to something, to a point where it no longer works, or is useless.
demolishverb	(literally) To destroy (buildings, etc.), especially in a planned or intentional fashion.
annihilateverb	To reduce to nothing, to destroy, to eradicate.
obliterateverb	(transitive) To destroy (someone or something) completely, leaving no trace; to annihilate, to wipe out.
attackverb	(transitive) To apply violent force to someone or something.
invadeverb	(transitive) To enter by force, usually in order to conquer.
overrunverb	(transitive) To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.
clobberverb	(transitive, slang) To hit or bash severely; to seriously harm or damage.
batterverb	To hit or strike violently and repeatedly.
hitverb	(heading, physical) To strike.
sweepverb	(transitive) To clean (a surface) by means of a stroking motion of a broom or brush.
decimateverb	(loosely) To devastate: to reduce or destroy significantly but not completely.
sweepsnoun	(US, television) The Nielsen ratings used to measure television show viewership several times a year.
blightverb	(figurative) Something that impedes development or growth, or spoils any other aspect of life.