Search Result for "devastate": 
Wordnet 3.0

VERB (2)

1. cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly;
- Example: "The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion"
[syn: lay waste to, waste, devastate, desolate, ravage, scourge]

2. overwhelm or overpower;
- Example: "He was devastated by his grief when his son died"



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Devastate \Dev"as*tate\ (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Devastated; p. pr. & vb. n. Devastating.] [L. devastatus,
   p. p. of devastare to devastate; de + vastare to lay waste,
   vastus waste. See Vast.]
   To lay waste; to ravage; to desolate.
   [1913 Webster]

         Whole countries . . . were devastated.   --Macaulay.

   Syn: To waste; ravage; desolate; destroy; demolish; plunder;
        pillage.
        [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

devastate
    v 1: cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly; "The enemy lay
         waste to the countryside after the invasion" [syn: lay
         waste to, waste, devastate, desolate, ravage,
         scourge]
    2: overwhelm or overpower; "He was devastated by his grief when
       his son died"