Other forms:devastatingly
Something that's shocking and distressing isdevastating. Watching the local ice cream shop burn to the ground would bedevastating to many neighborhood kids.
Incredibly destructive events like earthquakes are devastating, although anything that's tragic, even on a personal level, can also be devastating. It's also used informally to mean incredibly affecting or impressive, like a photographer's devastating images of urban poverty. This meaning came into use in the late 1800s — before that,devastating came right from the Latin worddevastare, "to lay waste completely."
- adjectivewreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction“adevastating hurricane”synonyms:annihilating,annihilative,witheringdestructivecausing destruction or much damage
- adjectivephysically or spiritually devastating; often used in combinationsynonyms:crushingdestructivecausing destruction or much damage
- adjectivemaking light of“adevastating portrait of human folly”synonyms:annihilating,witheringdisrespectfulexhibiting lack of respect; rude and discourteous
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Vocabulary lists containingdevastating
Creative writers, this one's for you! We've collected 100 words to describe how people feel. Improve your EQ by learning them all.
The sole survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson will need resourcefulness, courage, and strength in order to stay alive.
Arnold Spirit, Jr., a young cartoonist who lives on the Spokane Indian reservation, decides to transfer to a school in which he will be the only American Indian student.