Devastating means causing terrible sweeping destruction or grief. A devastating fire, devastating news, devastating effect.
It is one of the strongest words available for both physical destruction and emotional blow — a devastating flood and a devastating loss. It has also drifted into meaning impressive: a devastating argument, devastatingly good, which is a use some people object to and everybody understands. Note devastate, devastation; and that the Latin means to lay waste, from vastus, empty.
1adjectivedevastatingCausing terrible sweeping destruction or grief.
“The earthquake had a devastating effect on the whole region.”
2adjectiveextremelyExtremely impressive or effective.
“The comedian has a devastating wit that leaves audiences helpless with laughter.”
devastating is a quality of destructiveness.
Proto-Indo-European
*h₁weh₂-
Latin
dēvastātus
English
devastate
English, today
devastating
Built from
devastate Latin dēvastātus, perfect passive participle of dēvastō (“to lay waste, devastate”) (see -ate); from dē- + vastō (“to destroy, lay waste”). See vast. 1638.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Sharper Adjectives