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devastating

 - 3 dictionary results

dev⋅as⋅tat⋅ing

  [dev-uh-stey-ting]
–adjective
1. tending or threatening to devastate: a devastating fire.
2. satirical, ironic, or caustic in an effective way: a devastating portrayal of society.
Use devastating in a Sentence
Origin:
1625–35; devastate + -ing 2

Related forms:
dev⋅as⋅tat⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

dev⋅as⋅tate

  [dev-uh-steyt]
–verb (used with object), -tat⋅ed, -tat⋅ing.
1. to lay waste; render desolate: The invaders devastated the city.
2. to overwhelm.
Origin:
1625–35; < L dēvastātus laid waste (ptp. of dēvastāre), equiv. to dē- de- + vast(āre) to lay waste (akin to vastus empty) + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
dev⋅as⋅ta⋅tive, adjective
dev⋅as⋅ta⋅tor, noun

Synonyms:
1. destroy, sack, despoil. See ravage.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To devastating
dev·as·tate   (děv'ə-stāt')   
tr.v.   dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates

  1. To lay waste; destroy.

  2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark.


[Latin dēvāstāre, dēvāstāt- : dē-, de- + vāstāre, to lay waste (from vāstus, empty, desolate; see euə- in Indo-European roots).]
dev'as·tat'ing·ly adv., dev'as·ta'tion n., dev'as·ta'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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