ravage

RA-vihj

Ravage (verb) means to cause severe damage or destruction to something. Example: “The wildfire ravaged thousands of acres of forest.”

verb

To cause severe damage or destruction to something.

"The wildfire ravaged thousands of acres of forest."

"Years of neglect had ravaged the old mansion."

noun

Severe damage or destruction, usually used in the plural.

"The village never fully recovered from the ravages of the flood."

How to use ravage

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo wreck or devastate something badly, or the destruction itself.

Common pairings

ravaged by fire the ravages of time ravage the land

Word forms

ravaged past tense, ravages plural, ravages singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “ravage” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The wildfire _____ thousands of acres of forest.

Etymology

From French ravage, from ravir ("to snatch away"), ultimately from Latin rapere ("to seize"), the same root behind "rapid" and "rapture."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

View more →

waste harry desolate scourge devastate depredation lay waste to

Related words

shit kill waste henry harry blow destroy abandoned

Rhymes for ravage

age wage cage page rage gage sage mage usage image stage adage

See all rhymes for ravage →

Frequently asked questions

What does “ravage” mean?

The word “ravage” means to cause severe damage or destruction to something. In plain terms, to wreck or devastate something badly, or the destruction itself.

How do you pronounce “ravage”?

“Ravage” is pronounced RA-vihj (/ˈɹævɪd͡ʒ/ in IPA).

How do you use “ravage” in a sentence?

Here is “ravage” used in a sentence: “The wildfire ravaged thousands of acres of forest.”

What part of speech is “ravage”?

Depending on how it is used, “ravage” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “ravage” come from?

The word “ravage” comes from Latin. From French ravage, from ravir ("to snatch away"), ultimately from Latin rapere ("to seize"), the same root behind "rapid" and "rapture.".

How many meanings does “ravage” have?

“Ravage” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to cause severe damage or destruction to something.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include ravage:

B2 vocabulary words

People also searched

shit kill waste henry harry blow destroy abandoned