verb
to lay waste (as by plundering or destroying)
the countryside was ravaged by the invading soldiers
Synonyms: deflower, depredate, desecrate, desolate, despoil, devast, devastate, devour, harry, havoc, pillage, sack, scourge, spoil, spoliate, strip, waste
Related Word: demolish, destroy, raze; loot, plunder, ransack, rob; ruin, wreck; encroach, invade, trespass; crush, overpower, overrun, overthrow, overwhelm
Idioms: lay in ruins, lay waste
Contrasted words: build, improve, rehabilitate