Devastate Meaning in English
word
Definition
To completely destroy or ruin something, or to make someone feel extremely shocked or sad.
Usage & Nuances
Often used for both physical destruction ('earthquake devastate city') and strong emotional impact ('news devastated her'). Formal; not casual or slang. Collocates with 'area', 'community', 'news', 'loss'. Avoid confusing with 'destroy' (more general, less emotional).
Spanish: devastar - arrasar (sentido emocional)Portuguese (BR): devastar - arrasar (emocional)Portuguese (PT): devastar - arrasar (emocional)Chinese (Simplified): 摧毁 - 使极为震惊Chinese (Traditional): 摧毀 - 使極為震驚Hindi: विनाश करना - अत्यंत दुखी करनाArabic: يدمر - يحطم (عاطفيًا)Bengali: ধ্বংস করা - বিমুগ্ধ করাRussian: разрушать - опустошатьJapanese: 壊滅させる - 打ちのめすVietnamese: tàn phá - làm đau buồnKorean: 완전히 파괴하다 - 큰 충격을 주다Turkish: harap etmek - mahvetmekUrdu: تباہ کرنا - شدید غمزدہ کرناIndonesian: menghancurkan - membuat sangat terpukul
Example Sentences
The storm devastated the small village.
basic
Losing his job devastated him.
basic
The fire devastated hundreds of homes.
basic
She was devastated when she heard the sad news.
natural
The flood devastated the entire region, leaving thousands homeless.
natural
It would devastate me if you left.
natural