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Synonyms

devastated

American  
[dev-uh-stey-tid] / ˈdɛv əˌsteɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. laid waste; made desolate.

    After the earthquake there were concerns about asbestos in the rubble of many of the devastated houses.

  2. overwhelmed or shocked, especially by profound loss, disappointment, humiliation, etc..

    I’m grateful that no one I knew personally died in the hurricane, but my heart goes out to all those devastated families.

verb

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

Other Word Forms

  • undevastated adjective

Etymology

Origin of devastated

devastate ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said Miller had secured the crane without a strap for 40 years and was "devastated by the damage he has caused to the Ableman family".

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Katie McCreath, who is part of his mother Denise Fergus' legal team, said she was "devastated" by the vandalism.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

His sudden death has devastated his family and fellow car enthusiasts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Becerra pointed to his experiences leading the sprawling federal health agency in the Biden administration, including dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the wildfires that devastated Maui, Hawaii, avian flu and monkey pox.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

“Don’t mention it, m’boy, don’t mention it,” said Slughorn, as Ron collapsed into a nearby armchair, looking devastated.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.