devastation

noun

Definition of devastationnext
as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless the sheer devastation of the housing development by the forest fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of devastation The devastation spread on a sunny, calm weekend without warning. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026 Most of the new songs wrestle with how to seek pleasure while remaining hyperaware of the devastations of the world, and how that tension can make happiness itself feel like a vice. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026 But that same small possibility would offer little comfort to the ally, who needs to believe that Washington would actually risk nuclear devastation on its behalf. — Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026 When Hurricane Irma caused devastation in Puerto Rico, Blackwell did one as a fundraiser. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The grieving grandmother expressed deep devastation and anger over the sudden, violent loss of her grandson. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Only bold action to reduce fossil fuel use can help halt or reverse this devastation, the authors write. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026 As one of Maduro’s closest and most powerful allies, she remains closely associated with a regime widely blamed for political repression, economic devastation and the exodus of millions of Venezuelans. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026 Whatever one believes about the allegations against the couple, the devastation of watching an academic and media career disintegrate in real time is difficult to dismiss. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devastation
  1. destruction
  2. havoc
  3. loss
  4. extinction
  5. demolition
Noun
  • The end of saving money and raising middle-class wages justifies the means, namely, the destruction of immigrant families.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The destruction releases vast stores of carbon, adding to climate change that is already contributing to drought and forest fires across the tropics.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of destruction
Noun
  • The Misfits Complementing spring’s embrace of graphic havoc is an intriguing offness of fit, as seen at Jil Sander, Givenchy, and Lii.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Deleting a second has never previously been attempted and could create havoc in today’s digitally time-stamped world.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • If the answer is yes, the efficiency gain may be a competitive loss in disguise.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The British Antarctic Survey researchers emphasize that future losses could be exacerbated if emissions are not reduced.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of loss
Noun
  • Every researcher who quits Anthropic to write a viral letter about extinction is casting himself, in the drama running in his own head, as Oppenheimer walking away from the bomb.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In a world where AI and algorithms are trumpeting our extinction on a daily basis, Wildwood kicks the conversation in entirely the other direction.
    — Bridget Arsenault, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of extinction
Noun
  • Over the past several months, Israel has carried out large-scale demolitions in villages that its troops occupy.
    — Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • City leaders led another round of demolition at South Fulton's Camelot Condominiums on Friday.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of demolition

Browse Nearby Words

devastating
devastation
devastations
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Cite this Entry

“Devastation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devastation. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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