War, disease, and famine continue to ravage the poverty-stricken country, despite the decades-long international effort to ameliorate the situation.
Source: tatoeba (5499396)
Ravage
/ˈɹævɪd͡ʒ/
Synonyms for "ravage" (231 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (47)
abuseadulteratealloybanditrybesetbetraybetrayalbloodbathblue ruinbreakupbrigandagebrigandismbring to ruincankercarnagecheapencoarsencondemnconfoundconsume
Show 26 more words
consumptioncontaminatecorruptcrawl withcreep withcriminal assaultcrushdamagedamndamnationdeal destructiondebasedebauchdebauchmentdeceivedecimatedecimationdefiledefilementdeflorationdeflowerdefloweringdegeneratedegradedemolishdemolition
Noun(1 words)
Strong matches (69)
Related words (115)
maraudingmisleadmisuseoutrageoverpoweroverrunoverrunningoverspreadoverspreadingoverswarmoverswarmingoverthrowoverwhelmperditionpervertpillagepillagingplacidplagueplunder
Show 76 more words
plunderingpoisonpolluteprey onpriapismprostituteraidraidingransackransackingraperapineravagementravagesravagingravenravishravishmentrazerazziareivereivingrifleriflingrobroutruinruinateruinationsacksackingscourgeseduceseducementseductionsexual assaultshamblesshipwreckslaughtersoilspoilspoilingspoliatespoliationstripsullyswallow upswarmswarm withswarmingsweeptaintteemingthrow into disordertrespasstwistulcerateundoingunleash destructionunleash the hurricaneupheaveuprootvandalismvandalizevaporizeviolateviolationvitiatevulgarizewarpwastewrackwrack and ruinwreak havocwreckwrecking
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abuse, adulterate, alloy, banditry, beset.
- Sentence evidence is available for ravage, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "ravage".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "ravage"
Keep "ravage" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "ravage" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "ravage", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "ravage" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesMore specific
8 entriesCollocations
11 entriescitycropsecosysteminfrastructurelandscapepopulationravages of diseaseravages of famineravages of timeravages of warsuffer ravages
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
15 total sentences available.
Accordingly they resolved to begin the war without the usual forms of proclamation, and instructed their naval commander to launch ten galleys immediately, and ravage the coasts of the enemy.
Source: tatoeba (6212730)
"Ye still can see a Xanthus and a Troy, / reared by your hands, old Ilion to restore, / and brighter auspices than ours enjoy, / nor tempt, like ours, the Greeks to ravage and destroy."
Source: tatoeba (7181904)
It was a spacious harbour, sheltered deep / from access of the winds, but looming vast / with awful ravage, AEtna's neighbouring steep / thundered aloud, and, dark with clouds, upcast / smoke and red cinders in a whirlwind's blast. / Live balls of flame, with showers of sparks, upflew / and licked the stars, and in combustion massed, / torn rocks, her ragged entrails, molten new, / the rumbling mount belched forth from out the boiling stew.
Source: tatoeba (7340219)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "ravage"?
Closest matches include abuse, adulterate, alloy, banditry, beset.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "ravage"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.