devastating
adjective
dev·as·tat·ing
ˈde-və-ˌstā-tiŋ 
1
: causing great damage or harm
a devastating flood/earthquake
a devastating injury
A devastating coastal tsunami could also result from a severe displacement of the San Andreas Fault.—
Gary Sandquist
Gary Sandquist2
: causing extreme emotional pain
a devastating loss
Even the most banal domestic melodramas, readers come to understand, are experienced as devastating tragedies by children living them for the first time.—Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly3
: extremely effective or powerful
a devastating satire
He had a devastating wit and an utter contempt for shoddy work in physics.—Jeremy Bernstein
Jeremy Bernstein
devastatingly
adverb
Some people recover readily from the infection, but in others it becomes disseminated, spreading rapidly and devastatingly from lungs to bones, skin and nervous system
—Lawrence Galton
Lawrence Galton
Postcards from the Edge is a devastatingly savvy, bitingly funny, yet sad movie based on Carrie Fisher's autobiographical novel about Hollywood.
—Jeffrey Lyons
Jeffrey Lyons
… is portrayed as a devastatingly effective power broker in the Senate.
—Alan Brinkley
Alan Brinkley
Examples of devastating in a Sentence
a devastating blow to our morale
Recent Examples on the Web
Last Thursday, Trump gave the regime in Tehran an ultimatum: The mullahs needed to conclusively abandon their nuclear enrichment program or face devastating American strikes within the next two weeks.
—The Editors, National Review, 22 June 2025
Despite these devastating effects, access to specialized treatment is limited.
—Julienne Verdi, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025
Newsom’s high-profile resistance also comes at a key point for the party, as Democrats regroup after a devastating election last year, noted California Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 21 June 2025
King Charles’ fallout with Prince Harry has had a devastating side effect on his relationship with his grandchildren.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastating
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The Editors, National Review, 22 June 2025
Despite these devastating effects, access to specialized treatment is limited.
—Julienne Verdi, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025
Newsom’s high-profile resistance also comes at a key point for the party, as Democrats regroup after a devastating election last year, noted California Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio.
—Julia Mueller, The Hill, 21 June 2025
King Charles’ fallout with Prince Harry has had a devastating side effect on his relationship with his grandchildren.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for devastating
Cite this Entry
“Devastating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devastating. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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