ravage

/ˈra-vij/

borrowed from French, "destruction, damage (by human or animal agency, or by natural or nonmaterial causes, as disease or age)," going back to Middle French, "destruction by human agency, pillage, violent flood of water," from ravir "to seize forcefully, plunder, sweep along" (going back to Old French) + -age -age

noun

  1. an act or practice of ravaging

  2. damage resulting from ravaging : violently destructive effect

verb

  1. to wreak havoc on : affect, destructively

  2. to commit destructive actions

a land ravaged by war

ravage devastate waste sack pillage despoil mean to lay waste by plundering or destroying. ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction. devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area.