Inklingo

How to Say "to devastate" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to devastate” is “arrasar” — use this word when describing the complete physical destruction of a place or area, often by natural disasters or widespread conflict..

English → Spanish

arrasar

/ah-rah-SAR//araˈsaɾ/

verbB1
Use this word when describing the complete physical destruction of a place or area, often by natural disasters or widespread conflict.
A construction bulldozer leveling a pile of dirt and rubble into a flat, smooth ground.

Examples

El huracán arrasó toda la costa.

The hurricane leveled the entire coast.

Tuvieron que arrasar el terreno antes de construir la casa.

They had to flatten the ground before building the house.

No dejes que la tristeza arrase con tus ganas de seguir.

Don't let sadness destroy your will to keep going.

Using 'con'

When you want to say you destroyed everything or 'swept through' a place, we often use the word 'con' after arrasar.

Don't confuse with 'borrar'

Mistake: “Usaron una máquina para borrar el edificio.”

Correction: Usaron una máquina para arrasar el edificio. 'Borrar' is for erasing ink or memories; 'arrasar' is for physical destruction/leveling.

destrozar

/des-tro-SAR//des.tɾoˈθaɾ/

verbB1
This is your go-to word for expressing profound emotional pain or heartbreak caused by something devastating.
A sad person sitting on a bench in the rain looking very upset.

Examples

Esa noticia me destrozó el corazón.

That news broke my heart.

Ella quedó destrozada después de la ruptura.

She was devastated after the breakup.

Sus críticas destrozaron mi confianza.

His criticisms crushed my confidence.

Using the past form as an adjective

The word 'destrozado' is very common to describe a person who is extremely sad or physically exhausted. You use it with 'estar' because it's a state of being.

aplastar

/ah-plahs-tar//aplasˈtaɾ/

verbB2informal
Use this when the feeling of being overwhelmed or crushed by circumstances, like intense emotion or pressure, is the focus.
A small character sitting on the ground with a giant, heavy grey boulder resting on their shoulders.

Examples

El calor de la ciudad me está aplastando.

The city heat is weighing me down.

Se sentía aplastado por la tristeza.

He felt devastated (crushed) by sadness.

La responsabilidad de su nuevo cargo lo aplasta.

The responsibility of his new position overwhelms him.

Describing feelings

You can use the word 'aplastado' (the past participle) just like an adjective to describe how you feel when life gets too heavy.

azotar

/ah-so-TAR//asoˈtaɾ/

verbC1
Choose this word to describe a severe crisis, like a war, drought, or epidemic, severely impacting or hitting a region over time.
A wilted, brown plant in a dry, cracked field under a harsh sun.

Examples

La sequía azotó la región durante meses.

The drought devastated the region for months.

El desempleo azota a los barrios más pobres.

Unemployment plagues the poorest neighborhoods.

Varias epidemias azotaron a la población en el siglo XIX.

Several epidemics hit the population hard in the 19th century.

Abstract Subjects

This meaning uses abstract concepts (like 'hunger' or 'crisis') as the subject that performs the 'hitting' on a place or group.

Physical vs. Emotional Devastation

Learners often confuse 'arrasar' and 'destrozar'. Remember, 'arrasar' is for physical, large-scale destruction of places, while 'destrozar' is for emotional destruction, like a broken heart.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.