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devastated

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪd// UK //dˈɛvəstˌeɪtɪd// dev·as·tat·ed

v. feeling extremely shocked and sad. You use this when something terrible happens that breaks your heart or ruins your plans.

v. extremely upset or overwhelmed by grief or shock. Often used to describe the emotional state of people after a significant loss or disaster.


SIMPLE

She was devastated when she heard the bad news.

CONTEXTUAL

The local farmers were devastated after the unexpected frost destroyed their entire harvest for the season.

COMPLEX

While the city's infrastructure remained intact, the community was emotionally devastated by the loss of their historic library in the fire.

Synonyms
Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'be', 'feel', or 'look'.

Pitfall

The news was devastatedThe news was devastatingLearners often confuse the -ed adjective (describing a feeling) with the -ing adjective (describing the thing that causes the feeling).

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