English pronunciation · Words Starting with D
Devastating Pronunciation
Devastating is pronounced DE-vuh-stay-ting, IPA /ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪŋ/.
DE-vuh-stay-ting
US /ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪŋ/ · UK /ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪŋ/
Syllables: DE · vuh · stay · ting (4 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective: So destructive or so upsetting that recovery is hard.
Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.
Devastating in a Sentence
- The drought has been devastating for smallholders.
- She gave a devastating reply and sat down.
- A devastating fire took out the whole top floor.
Common Mispronunciations of Devastating
Not duh-VA-stay-ting
Lead on DE, because the second beat is the weakest of the four.
Not DE-va-STAY-ting
Only the opening rises. The stay in the middle is clear but quiet.
Tip: Devastate and devastation part company: DE-vuh-stayt against de-vuh-STAY-shuhn.
More words starting with d · Every word in the pronunciation guide