Devastate

Dev"as*tate (?; 277), 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.