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.
Whole countries... were devastated. Macaulay.
Syn. — To waste; ravage; desolate; destroy; demolish; plunder; pillage.