making light of; "afire with annihilating invective"; "a devastating portrait of human folly"; "to compliments inflated I've a withering reply"- W S Gilbert
wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction; "possessing annihilative power"; "a devastating hurricane"; "the guns opened a withering fire"
emphasis If you describe something as devastating, you are emphasizing that it is very harmful or damaging. Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages
emphasis You can use devastating to emphasize that something or someone is very impressive. a devastating display of galloping and jumping + devastatingly dev·as·tat·ing·ly Its advertising is devastatingly successful
physically or spiritually devastating; often used in combination; "a crushing blow"; "a crushing rejection"; "bone-crushing"
emphasis You can use devastating to emphasize that something is very shocking, upsetting, or terrible. The diagnosis was devastating. She had cancer