Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - devastating

1. If you describe something as devastating, you are emphasizing that it is very harmful or damaging. Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages. ADJ: usu ADJ n c darkgreen]emphasis 2. You can use devastating to emphasize that something is very shocking, upsetting, or terrible. The diagnosis was devastating. She had cancer. ADJ c darkgreen]emphasis 3. You can use devastating to emphasize that something or someone is very impressive. ...a devastating display of galloping and jumping... ADJ c darkgreen]emphasis • devastatingly Its advertising is devastatingly successful... ADV: usu ADV adj/-ed