'Devastate' definitions:

Definition of 'devastate'

From: WordNet
verb
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]
verb
Overwhelm or overpower; "He was devastated by his grief when his son died"

Definition of 'Devastate'

From: 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]