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devastador

deh-bahs-tah-DOR/deβastaˈðoɾ/

“devastador” means “devastating” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

devastating

Also: destructive, ruinous
A row of several broken and toppled wooden houses after a strong storm.

📝 In Action

El huracán tuvo un efecto devastador en la costa.

A2

The hurricane had a devastating effect on the coast.

Las armas modernas tienen un poder devastador.

B1

Modern weapons have a devastating power.

Fue el incendio más devastador de la década.

B2

It was the most devastating fire of the decade.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • efecto devastador – devastating effect
  • incendio devastador – devastating fire
  • potencial devastador – devastating potential

shattering

Also: crushing, overwhelming
A person sitting on a park bench looking very sad with their head in their hands.

📝 In Action

Recibió una noticia devastadora sobre su salud.

B2

She received devastating news about her health.

El crítico escribió una reseña devastadora de la película.

C1

The critic wrote a devastating review of the movie.

Fue una derrota devastadora para el equipo.

B1

It was a crushing defeat for the team.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • desolador (bleak/distressing)
  • fulminante (withering)

Antonyms

  • alentador (encouraging)
  • esperanzador (hopeful)

Common Collocations

  • noticia devastadora – devastating news
  • crítica devastadora – devastating critique
  • mirada devastadora – withering/devastating look

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: devastador

Question 1 of 3

Which of these would most likely be described as 'devastador'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
devastar(to devastate/to lay waste) — Verb
devastación(devastation) — Noun
devastado(devastated) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'devastare'. The prefix 'de-' means 'completely' and 'vastare' means 'to make empty' or 'to waste'. It's like saying something has been turned into a vast, empty space.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: devastatingFrench: dévastateurItalian: devastante

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'devastador' the same as 'destructivo'?

They are very similar, but 'devastador' is usually much stronger. 'Destructivo' means it breaks things; 'devastador' means it leaves nothing left.

Can I use 'devastador' to describe a person's personality?

Only metaphorically. If you say someone has a 'personalidad devastadora', it means they are so powerful or intense that they overwhelm everyone else.

Does it always mean something physical?

No, it is frequently used for emotional things like news, results of an exam, or a very harsh argument.