devastate

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Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdɛvəsteɪt/

Verb

devastate (devastates, present participle devastating; past and past participle devastated)

1. To ruin many or all things over a large area, such as most or all buildings of a city, or cities of a region, or trees of a forest.
2. To destroy a whole collection of related ideas, beliefs, and strongly held opinions.
3. To break beyond recovery or repair so that the only options are abandonment or the clearing away of useless remains (if any) and starting over.

Synonyms

• (to lay waste) decimate (sometimes proscribed); destroy; raze (to structures); ruin

Related terms

• devastation
• devastavit

Translations

• French: dévaster
• German: verwüsten, verheeren
• Italian: devastare
• Portuguese: devastar
• Russian: опустоша́ть
• Spanish: devastar

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