devastating

adjective
UK: /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/
US: /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/

  1. Causing great damage or destruction.

    1. The fire was devastating to the forest it burned down everything.
    2. The hurricane had a devastating impact, destroying homes and businesses along the coast.

  2. Extremely upsetting or shocking.

    1. It was devastating when I lost my keys after the work.
    2. Receiving news of the accident was devastating to the family, leaving them heartbroken.

Synonyms

destructive ruinous
devastating transitive-verb

  1. To cause great damage or destruction to something.

    1. The flood devastated the small village after the rain.
    2. The earthquake devastated the city, leaving many people homeless and injured.

  2. To make someone feel extremely sad or shocked.

    1. The news devastated her she felt so bad after that.
    2. The loss of their pet devastated the children, leaving them inconsolable for days.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "devastating" in English means: Causing great damage or destruction., Extremely upsetting or shocking..

The phonetic transcription of "devastating" is /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/ in British English and /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "devastating": destructive, ruinous.

Example usage of "devastating": "The fire was devastating to the forest it burned down everything.". More examples on the page.