devastate
/ˈdɛv.ə.steɪt/
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; To destroy a whole collection of related ideas, beliefs, and strongly held opinions; To break beyond recovery or repair so that the only options are abandonment or the clearing away of useless remains and starting over; To greatly demoralize, to cause to suffer intense grief or dismay
- he/she/it
- devastates
- past participle
- devastated
Meanings
- 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
Tom was devastated when Mary broke up with him.
Tatoeba · Hybrid · CC BY 2.0 FR
Water devastated the whole city.
Tatoeba · CarpeLanam · CC BY 2.0 FR
- 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
- 4
To greatly demoralize, to cause to suffer intense grief or dismay