ravaged

[ rav-ijd ]

adjective

1. ruinously damaged or marred:

   After the war they were faced with a ravaged landscape and a deeply scarred population.

   Her heart contracted with pity when she saw the ravaged face and red, swollen eyes of her friend.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of ravage.

Other Words From

• un·rav·aged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ravaged¹

First recorded in 1650–60; ravage ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective; ravage ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb

Example Sentences

Israeli bombardment has ravaged large swaths of the country, killed almost 3,300 people and displaced a quarter of the population.

From Los Angeles Times

Recently, neighbors gathered on the street for the first time since fire ravaged their homes.

From Los Angeles Times

But in neighborhoods that were ravaged by the fire on Wednesday, the painful process of assessing the damage is just beginning.

From Los Angeles Times

California was ravaged by the state’s driest three years on record from 2020-22.

From Los Angeles Times

Those working the sea were impacted as well; clam farmers along the Gulf Coast are grappling with the losses they incurred when Helene's storm surge ravaged their stocks.

From Salon

Related Words

• broken
• demolished
• devastated
• lost
• ruined
• shattered
• smashed
• wrecked