Meaning & use
devastate
To cause severe damage or destruction, or to overwhelm someone emotionally with shock or grief.
See it in a sentence
The powerful hurricane devastated entire coastal towns within just a few hours.
The news of her friend's passing devastated her for weeks.
A note on using this word
"Devastated," the adjective form, is commonly used for intense emotional distress even when nothing physical has been destroyed.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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