Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913
Devastate
Dev′as·tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devastated; p. pr. & vb. n. Devastating.] [L. devastatus, p. p. of devastare to devastate; de + vastare to lay waste, vastus waste. See Vast.] To lay waste; to ravage; to desolate.
Whole countries . . . were devastated. Macaulay.
Syn. — To waste; ravage; desolate; destroy; demolish; plunder; pillage.