- calamitous
- destructive
- disastrous
- overwhelming
- annihilating
- mortifying
- crushing
- biting
- caustic
- incisive
On this page you’ll find 28 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to devastating, such as: calamitous, destructive, disastrous, overwhelming, annihilating, and null.
Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
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How to use devastating in a sentence
My sense was that of all the devastating consequences of a warming planet — changing landscapes, pandemics, mass extinctions — the potential movement of hundreds of millions of climate refugees across the planet stands to be among the most important.
CLIMATE CHANGE WILL FORCE A NEW AMERICAN MIGRATIONBY ABRAHM LUSTGARTEN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MERIDITH KOHUTSEPTEMBER 15, 2020PROPUBLICA
This may mean that up to May he had remained in command in the north, though keeping clear of Bruce’s devastating track.
KING ROBERT THE BRUCEA. F. MURISON
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
OCTOBER 26, 1985
WORDS RELATED TO DEVASTATING
- adverse
- afflictive
- blighting
- cataclysmic
- catastrophic
- deadly
- deplorable
- devastating
- dire
- fatal
- grievous
- harmful
- heartbreaking
- lamentable
- messy
- pernicious
- regrettable
- ruinous
- unfavorable
- unfortunate
- woeful
- calamitous
- cataclysmic
- catastrophal
- catastrophic
- devastating
- disastrous
- fatal
- ruinous
- tragic
- devastating
- harmful
- immoderate
- wasteful
- baleful
- dangerous
- deathly
- destructive
- devastating
- fatal
- harmful
- hurtful
- malignant
- mortal
- mortiferous
- mortuary
- murderous
- necrotic
- noxious
- pernicious
- pestilent
- pestilential
- poisonous
- virulent
- cogent
- considerable
- conspicuous
- convincing
- crucial
- decisive
- devastating
- effectual
- forceful
- forcible
- important
- impressive
- influential
- marked
- operative
- potent
- powerful
- satisfactory
- satisfying
- solid
- sound
- striking
- trenchant
- valid
- weighty
- cogent
- considerable
- conspicuous
- convincing
- crucial
- decisive
- devastating
- effectual
- forceful
- forcible
- important
- impressive
- influential
- marked
- operative
- potent
- powerful
- satisfactory
- satisfying
- solid
- sound
- striking
- trenchant
- valid
- weighty
Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Thesaurus
Synonyms of devastating
-
adjective
-
as in disastrous
-
verb
-
as in ravaging
-
as in destroying
-
as in overwhelming
- as in disastrous
- as in ravaging
- as in destroying
- as in overwhelming
-
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devastating
1 of 2
adjective
Definition of devastating
as in disastrous
causing or tending to cause destruction
a devastating blow to our morale
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
-
disastrous
-
destructive
-
devastative
-
cataclysmic
-
deadly
-
lethal
-
fatal
-
ruinous
-
calamitous
-
poisonous
-
annihilatory
-
fell
-
murderous
-
cataclysmal
-
killer
-
harmful
-
detrimental
-
virulent
-
deleterious
-
pernicious
-
antibiotic
-
deathly
-
vital
-
mortal
-
baleful
-
biocidal
-
pestilent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
-
protective
-
nondestructive
-
constructive
-
creative
-
productive
-
useful
-
harmless
-
formative
-
helpful
-
innocuous
-
innocent
-
healthy
-
preservative
-
healthful
-
wholesome
-
inoffensive
-
ameliorative
-
nonfatal
-
salubrious
-
nonlethal
See More
-
protective
-
nondestructive
-
constructive
-
creative
-
productive
-
useful
-
harmless
-
formative
-
helpful
-
innocuous
-
innocent
-
healthy
-
preservative
-
healthful
-
wholesome
-
inoffensive
-
ameliorative
-
nonfatal
-
salubrious
-
nonlethal
See More
devastating
2 of 2
verb
present participle of devastate
1
as in ravaging
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
the city was devastated, first by the earthquake and then by fires
Synonyms & Similar Words
-
ravaging
-
destroying
-
ruining
-
shattering
-
wrecking
-
scourging
-
overwhelming
-
plundering
-
sacking
-
obliterating
-
eradicating
-
stripping
-
desolating
-
looting
-
decimating
-
despoiling
-
marauding
-
annihilating
-
vaporizing
-
pillaging
-
totalling
-
wiping out
-
extinguishing
-
extirpating
-
demolishing
-
wracking
-
smashing
-
harrying
-
wasting
-
expunging
-
totaling
-
overpowering
-
mowing
-
crushing
-
razing
-
nuking
-
overrunning
-
foraying
-
overthrowing
-
rubbing out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
-
recovering
-
restoring
-
rehabilitating
-
repairing
-
fixing
-
redeeming
-
reconditioning
-
mending
-
patching
-
revamping
See More
-
recovering
-
restoring
-
rehabilitating
-
repairing
-
fixing
-
redeeming
-
reconditioning
-
mending
-
patching
-
revamping
See More
2
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the explosion devastated an entire city block
Synonyms & Similar Words
-
destroying
-
shattering
-
ruining
-
demolishing
-
wrecking
-
damaging
-
smashing
-
overcoming
-
crippling
-
wasting
-
decimating
-
ravaging
-
eroding
-
annihilating
-
pulverizing
-
extinguishing
-
crushing
-
desolating
-
vaporizing
-
tearing down
-
wracking
-
marring
-
totaling
-
totalling
-
killing
-
razing
-
pulling down
-
defeating
-
dismantling
-
doing in
-
blasting
-
breaking
-
creaming
-
nuking
-
removing
-
rubbing out
-
deteriorating
-
disfiguring
-
disintegrating
-
impairing
-
subduing
-
injuring
-
spoiling
-
prevailing (over)
-
harming
-
winning (against)
-
conquering
-
trimming
-
surmounting
-
mastering
-
mutilating
-
clobbering
-
whipping
-
thrashing
-
undoing
-
routing
-
licking
-
wearing (away)
-
dynamiting
-
sweeping (away)
-
eradicating
-
mangling
-
triumphing (over)
-
walloping
-
dissolving
-
besting
-
obliterating
-
overmatching
-
beating
-
vitiating
-
gutting
-
blowing up
-
drubbing
-
overbearing
-
slaughtering
-
sacking
-
defacing
-
scouring
-
washing out
-
trouncing
-
wiping out
-
plundering
-
extirpating
-
taking down
-
looting
-
exterminating
-
assassinating
-
murdering
-
liquidating
-
trampling
-
disassembling
-
stamping (out)
-
cutting down
-
slaying
-
dilapidating
-
expunging
-
despoiling
-
executing
-
blotting out
-
scotching
-
skunking
-
vandalizing
-
dispatching
-
rooting (out)
-
pillaging
-
massacring
-
effacing
-
killing off
-
felling
-
mowing (down)
-
trashing
-
butchering
-
snuffing (out)
-
unmaking
-
taking out
-
zapping
-
unbuilding
-
havocking
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
-
building
-
constructing
-
creating
-
raising
-
repairing
-
rearing
-
setting up
-
fixing
-
erecting
-
producing
-
making
-
shaping
-
putting up
-
manufacturing
-
forming
-
forging
-
inventing
-
framing
-
assembling
-
protecting
-
establishing
-
organizing
-
saving
-
patching
-
bringing about
-
reconditioning
-
revamping
-
constituting
-
fashioning
-
molding
-
mending
-
fabricating
-
preserving
-
rebuilding
-
doctoring
-
founding
-
instituting
-
reconstructing
-
restoring
-
remodeling
-
conserving
-
fathering
-
renovating
See More
-
building
-
constructing
-
creating
-
raising
-
repairing
-
rearing
-
setting up
-
fixing
-
erecting
-
producing
-
making
-
shaping
-
putting up
-
manufacturing
-
forming
-
forging
-
inventing
-
framing
-
assembling
-
protecting
-
establishing
-
organizing
-
saving
-
patching
-
bringing about
-
reconditioning
-
revamping
-
constituting
-
fashioning
-
molding
-
mending
-
fabricating
-
preserving
-
rebuilding
-
doctoring
-
founding
-
instituting
-
reconstructing
-
restoring
-
remodeling
-
conserving
-
fathering
-
renovating
See More
3
as in overwhelming
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
we were devastated by the awful news of his death
Synonyms & Similar Words
-
overwhelming
-
overcoming
-
crushing
-
overpowering
-
disturbing
-
grinding (down)
-
oppressing
-
swamping
-
overmastering
-
rocking
-
drowning
-
upsetting
-
flooring
-
shattering
-
whelming
-
prostrating
-
distressing
-
defeating
-
snowing under
-
sinking
-
staggering
-
unnerving
-
demoralizing
-
refuting
-
throwing
-
deluging
-
confuting
-
unmanning
-
breaking
Articles Related to devastating
Regarding the Incorrect Use of…
It’s totally fine to use ‘decimate’ as a synonym for ‘devastate’. This is why.
Thesaurus Entries Near devastating
devastates
devastating
devastation
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Cite this Entry
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“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastating. Accessed 2 May. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on devastating
Nglish: Translation of devastating for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of devastating for Arabic Speakers
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What is another word for Devastating?
-
destructive
causing devastation
-
crushing
shattering, trenchant
-
ruinous
destructive, subversive
-
calamitous
destructive, causing devastation
-
disastrous
destructive, causing devastation
-
withering
disastrous, savage
-
harmful
immoderate, destructive
-
annihilating
causing devastation
-
overwhelming
causing devastation, shattering
-
shattering
-
caustic
withering, trenchant
-
cataclysmic
destructive, catastrophic
-
deleterious
pernicious
-
injurious
disastrous, pernicious
-
catastrophic
disastrous
-
damaging
pernicious
-
detrimental
pernicious
-
deadly
pernicious
-
fatal
disastrous
-
incisive
savage, trenchant
-
savage
withering, shattering
-
trenchant
savage, incisive
-
lethal
-
pernicious
-
annihilative
-
virulent
withering
-
destroying
subversive
-
biting
withering, trenchant
-
terrible
shattering
-
shocking
shattering, traumatic
Use filters to view other words, we have 450 synonyms for devastating.
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Nearby Words
devastated, devastate, devastation, devastator
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Synonyms for Devastating. (2016). Retrieved 2023, May 01, from https://thesaurus.plus/synonyms/devastating
Synonyms for Devastating. N.p., 2016. Web. 01 May. 2023. <https://thesaurus.plus/synonyms/devastating>.
Synonyms for Devastating. 2016. Accessed May 01, 2023. https://thesaurus.plus/synonyms/devastating.
3 definitions
| devastating (Adjective) — | Sharply critical or damaging 1 example |
| 1. ex. «a devastating portrait of human folly» | |
| devastating (Adjective) — | Wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction 1 example |
| 1. ex. «a devastating hurricane» | |
| devastating (Adjective) — | Physically or spiritually devastating; often used in combination 1 example |
| 1. ex. «a devastating blow» |
2 definitions
| devastating (Verb) — | Cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly 1 example |
| 1. ex. «The enemy devastate the countryside after the invasion» | |
| devastating (Verb) — | Overwhelm or overpower 1 example |
| 1. ex. «He was devastated by his grief when his son died» |
15 misspelling
ddevastating
deevastating
devaastaating
devasstating
devastatiing
devastatimg
devastatin
devastatingg
devastatinng
devastatnig
devasttatting
devatsating
devaztating
devvastating
evastating
All synonyms in one line
consuming, exhausting, harmful, wasteful, annihilating, annihilative, apocalyptic, crushing, withering, en.synonym.one, desolating, laying waste, laying waste to, ravaging, scourging, en.synonym.one, wasting.
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caustic, cutting, deadly, destructive, effective, incisive, keen, mordant, overpowering, overwhelming, ravishing, sardonic, satirical, savage, stunning, trenchant, vitriolic, withering
English Collins Dictionary — English synonyms & Thesaurus 
devastating
1 adj If you describe something as devastating, you are emphasizing that it is very harmful or damaging.
usu ADJ n (emphasis)
Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.
2 adj You can use devastating to emphasize that something is very shocking, upsetting, or terrible., (emphasis)
The diagnosis was devastating. She had cancer.
3 adj You can use devastating to emphasize that something or someone is very impressive., (emphasis)
…a devastating display of galloping and jumping…
♦
devastatingly adv usu ADV adj/-ed
Its advertising is devastatingly successful…
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