v. 25B6; verb
the city was devastated by an earthquake : DESTROY, ruin, wreck, lay waste, ravage, demolish, raze (to the ground), level, flatten.
he was devastated by the news : SHATTER, shock, stun, daze, dumbfound, traumatize, crush, overwhelm, overcome, distress; informal knock sideways; Brit. informal knock for six.