devastation

devastation — noun

1. a situation in which an area or landscape has been so badly damaged or destroyed

1.名詞B2
釋義

a situation in which an area or landscape has been so badly damaged or destroyed — for example by a storm, war, or fire — that it is almost completely ruined.

例句

The earthquake left a trail of devastation across the coastal towns of Japan.

widespread devastation (collocation)

Valentina stared at the devastation where her childhood home once stood.

同義詞
  • destruction

    more general term; devastation is a stronger, more dramatic form of destruction that emphasises breadth

  • ruin

    suggests the result of decay or collapse over time, while devastation implies sudden or violent damage

  • desolation

    adds a sense of emptiness and abandonment beyond just physical damage

  • havoc

    focuses on chaos and disorder caused by destruction, often in the phrase 'wreak havoc'

反義詞
  • construction

    the building up of structures, the opposite of destroying them

  • restoration

    the process of repairing something after damage has occurred

用法筆記

Frequently used with adjectives like 'widespread', 'complete', 'total', 'environmental', or 'economic' to describe the scope or type of damage. Also common in the phrase 'scenes of devastation' in news reporting.

常見錯誤

❌The storm caused a lot of devastation to my car.
✅The storm caused a lot of damage to my car.
💡Devastation describes large-scale ruin of areas or landscapes, not minor harm to a single object.
❌There was devastation in the kitchen after I dropped the cake.
✅There was devastation in the city after the earthquake.
💡Devastation implies severe, often irreversible destruction, not a small mess.

2. an overwhelming feeling of shock, sadness, or emotional distress that a person e

2.名詞C1
釋義

an overwhelming feeling of shock, sadness, or emotional distress that a person experiences after a terrible event or piece of bad news.

例句

When Caleb heard the news, a feeling of devastation washed over him.

a feeling of devastation (collocation)

The look of devastation on Mayumi's face told everyone what had happened.

同義詞
  • grief

    more specifically tied to loss through death; devastation can come from many kinds of bad news

  • distress

    a broader, less intense term for anxiety or suffering

  • anguish

    suggests extreme physical or mental suffering, often more prolonged than devastation

反義詞
  • relief

    the feeling of comfort after worry or pain ends

  • joy

    a strong positive emotion, the opposite of devastating sadness

用法筆記

Often appears in the patterns 'a sense/feeling of devastation' or 'in devastation'. This sense is less common than the physical-destruction sense and is typically found in personal narratives, journalism about tragedies, and literary writing. It is stronger than 'sadness' and closer to 'grief' in intensity.

常見錯誤

❌I felt devastation when my bus was late.
✅I felt devastated when my grandfather passed away.
💡Devastation as an emotion describes profound grief or shock, not everyday frustration.
❌She was in devastation about her exam result.
✅She was devastated by her exam result.
💡The adjective 'devastated' is more natural than the noun 'devastation' for describing a person's emotional state.