devastate

IPA/ˈdevəsteɪt/
KK[dˈɛvəstˌet]IPA/ˈdevəsteɪt/

devastate — 動詞

  • devastatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • devastateshe / she / it
  • devastatedpast simple
  • devastating-ing form

1. to damage or ruin a place, building, or area so severely that almost nothing is

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

摧毀；破壞

徹底破壞使無法使用

to damage or ruin a place, building, or area so severely that almost nothing is left in good condition

例句

The earthquake devastated the old town, leaving only rubble and dust behind.

地震摧毀了那座古鎮，只留下滿地瓦礫與塵土。

collocation: devastate + [place noun] for physical destruction

Wildfires devastated large areas of forest across northern Portugal last summer.

去年夏天，野火摧毀了葡萄牙北部的大片森林。

常見搭配
  • devastate a city
  • devastate a region
  • devastate crops
  • devastate an area
  • devastate infrastructure
同義詞
  • destroy

    more general in scope; devastate emphasizes total ruin

  • ruin

    less violent; can apply to plans and hopes as well as physical objects

  • wreck

    suggests violent damage, often to vehicles or structures; less formal

  • demolish

    specifically of buildings or structures, often deliberately

反義詞
  • build

    creating instead of destroying

  • restore

    bringing something damaged back to good condition

文法句型

devastate + noun phrase

用法筆記

Subject is usually a natural disaster, war, or large-scale destructive event. Object is typically a geographical area, settlement, or piece of infrastructure.

常見錯誤

The child devastated his toy truck.
The child broke his toy truck.
devastate is too strong for everyday breaking; it implies large-scale or violent destruction.
The heavy rain devastated my umbrella.
The heavy rain ruined my umbrella.
devastate is not used for small, personal objects.

2. to cause someone to feel overwhelming sadness, shock, or emotional distress — fo

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

使悲痛；打擊

使人極度震驚難過

to cause someone to feel overwhelming sadness, shock, or emotional distress — for example, when hearing deeply upsetting news or suffering a serious loss

例句

Kemi was devastated when her grandmother passed away last spring.

Kemi 去年春天祖母過世時，她悲痛欲絕。

passive: be devastated + when-clause for emotional reaction

The sudden news of the factory closure devastated the entire community.

工廠突然關閉的消息讓整個社區居民極為震驚。

常見搭配
  • be devastated by news
  • be devastated by loss
  • feel devastated
  • leave someone devastated
  • utterly devastated
同義詞
  • overwhelm

    broader; can be positive or negative; devastate is always negative

  • shatter

    more dramatic, suggests emotional breaking into pieces

  • shock

    focuses on surprise; devastate includes prolonged grief

反義詞

文法句型

be devastated + by + noun phrase

be devastated + to-infinitive

be devastated + that-clause

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice (be devastated by / be devastated to hear). The cause is always something serious — grief, rejection, disaster — not mild irritation or inconvenience.

常見錯誤

She was devastated by the cold weather.
She was devastated by the death of her pet.
devastate requires a seriously distressing cause, not a mild discomfort.
I am devastated that I forgot my keys.
I am annoyed that I forgot my keys.
forgetting keys is inconvenient, not devastating.

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

副詞搭配

常用片語

  • leave someone devastated
  • be devastated by the loss of

介系詞搭配