devastating

Adjective
Synonyms: annihilatingwitheringannihilativecrushing

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (3)

  1. making light of“afire with annihilating invective”“a devastating portrait of human folly”“to compliments inflated I've a withering reply — W.S.Gilbert”Synonyms: annihilatingwithering
  2. wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction“possessing annihilative power”“a devastating hurricane”“the guns opened a withering fire”Synonyms: annihilativeannihilatingwithering
  3. physically or spiritually devastating; often used in combination“a crushing blow”“a crushing rejection”“bone-crushing”Synonyms: crushing
Advertisement

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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]

devastating \devastating\ adj.

1.highly critical; making light of; as, a devastating portrait of human folly.

Syn: annihilating, withering. [WordNet 1.5]

2.causing or capable of causing complete destruction; as, a devastating hurricane.

Syn: annihilative. [WordNet 1.5]

Advertisement