Definitions

lay waste

VERB

consume

Synonyms

STRONGEST

devastate eat up exhaust expend overwhelm ravage ruin waste

STRONG

annihilate crush decay demolish extinguish raze suppress wreck

Antonyms

STRONGEST

build construct create help save

STRONG

encourage let go release repair

WEAK

accumulate collect fast gather neglect not use starve store

VERB

desolate

Synonyms

STRONG

depopulate desecrate despoil devastate devour pillage plunder ruin sack waste

WEAK

depredate lay low spoliate

Antonyms

STRONG

build construct improve protect save

VERB

destroy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

consume crush damage dismantle end eradicate gut impair kill maim ravage raze ruin sabotage shatter smash smash-up wipe out wreck

STRONG

abort annihilate annul axe butcher cream deface desolate despoil dispatch erase exterminate extinguish extirpate level liquidate mar maraud mutilate nuke nullify overturn quash quell ravish slay suppress torpedo total trash vaporize waste wax zap

WEAK

blot out break down snuff out spoliate stamp out swallow up tear down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist bear begin build construct create fix give birth help lose mend repair start

STRONG

improve keep preserve retain save validate

WEAK

restore

VERB

devastate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ravage raze ruin wreck

STRONG

desecrate desolate despoil devour level pillage plunder raid sack smash spoil total trash waste

WEAK

depredate do one in spoliate stamp out take apart wipe off map

Antonyms

STRONGEST

build construct

STRONG

guard help improve protect save

WEAK

enrich

VERB

harry

Synonyms

STRONG

attack badger bedevil beleaguer chivy devastate disturb fret gnaw harass hassle irk irritate molest persecute perturb pillage plague plunder ravage sack tease torment trouble upset vex worry

WEAK

depredate

Antonyms

STRONG

aid appease assist calm comfort delight guard help make happy order pacify please protect reassure soothe support

VERB

pauperize

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bankrupt impoverish ruin

STRONG

beggar break bust deplete drain exhaust fleece injure reduce wreck

WEAK

bring down bring to ruin clean out depredate pillage spoliate use up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

enrich make rich

STRONG

better oneself feather one's nest move up in the world profit

WEAK

aid avail benefit help serve

VERB

pillage

Synonyms

STRONGEST

desecrate loot maraud pilfer ransack ravage

STRONG

appropriate arrogate confiscate desolate despoil devastate devour gut invade lift nab pinch purloin raid rifle rob ruin sack spoil steal strip thieve trespass waste

WEAK

depredate spoliate

Antonyms

STRONGEST

give receive

STRONG

build construct create grow guard help improve offer protect release save

WEAK

safeguard

VERB

plunder

Synonyms

STRONGEST

devastate liberate loot pillage ransack requisition rob salvage

STRONG

appropriate burn despoil fleece forage foray grab gut kip lift loft maraud prey prowl raid relieve rifle sack snatch spoil strip

WEAK

depredate knock off knock over moonlight requisition rip off smash and grab stick up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

give

STRONG

aid guard help protect receive

VERB

ransack

Synonyms

STRONGEST

comb gut loot pillage plunder raid rob scour seize take away

STRONG

appropriate despoil explore ferret filch hunt investigate lift maraud overhaul peer pilfer pinch poach probe pry purloin rake rape ravish rifle rummage rustle sack scan scrutinize search seek sound spoil spy steal strip thieve

WEAK

go over with a fine-tooth comb go through leave no stone unturned look all over for look high and low look into make off with shake down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

give offer protect receive

STRONG

find ignore neglect order organize

WEAK

care for clean neaten tidy

VERB

ravage

Synonyms

STRONGEST

consume damage demolish devastate disrupt gut impair overrun overwhelm pillage plunder raze ruin shatter sweep away wreck

STRONG

annihilate capture cream crush desecrate desolate despoil dismantle disorganize exterminate extinguish forage foray harry loot overthrow pirate prey prostrate raid rape rob sack seize sink smash spoil strip total trample trash waste wrest

WEAK

break up leave in ruins pull down spoliate stamp out wreak havoc

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist build construct create fix help improve mend repair

STRONG

bear free give grow guard let go liberate lose offer praise preserve protect release save surrender yield

VERB

ruin

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bankrupt crush decimate demolish deplete exhaust impoverish injure mar overwhelm raze shatter spoil wipe out wrack wreck

STRONG

beggar botch break bust deface defeat defile deplore desecrate despoil devour dilapidate disfigure drain fleece maim mangle mutilate overthrow overturn pauperize pillage rape ravish reduce sack smash total

WEAK

bring down bring to ruin clean out depredate do in make a mess of spoliate use up wreak havoc on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

build construct create fix heal mend repair

STRONG

adorn beautify cure protect strengthen

WEAK

develop grow

VERB

sack

Synonyms

STRONGEST

loot strip

STRONG

demolish desecrate desolate despoil destroy devastate devour fleece gut maraud pillage ravage rifle rob ruin spoil waste

WEAK

depredate spoliate

Antonyms

STRONG

build construct create give grow help improve offer protect repair restore

WEAK

employ guard hire save

VERB

smash

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break up demolish disrupt overturn raze shatter topple trash wreck

STRONG

annihilate decimate destruct overthrow ruin tumble

WEAK

lay in ruins put out of action put out of commission tear down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

build construct fix repair

WEAK

fail lose mend

VERB

spoliate

Synonyms

WEAK

demolish depredate desecrate desolate despoil destroy devastate devour fleece gut loot maraud pillage plunder ransack rape ravage rifle rob ruin spoil strip waste wreak havoc wreak havoc on

VERB

waste

Synonyms

STRONGEST

reduce spoil

STRONG

desecrate desolate despoil devastate devour pillage rape ravage raze sack

WEAK

depredate spoliate wreak havoc

Antonyms

STRONGEST

grow

STRONG

build construct help improve protect

WEAK

create hoard preserve save

VERB

wreak havoc

Synonyms

WEAK

create chaos desolate despoil destroy devastate play mischief with ravage ruin wreck

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The trebuchet was the most fearsome weapon of medieval times, a giant catapult that could lay waste to any fortress by battering its walls with boulders.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2025

Nick Cage wrote: “Hopefulness is not a neutral position.... It is adversarial. It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2025

My life without it is a swirl of forces, leading to natural disasters of impulsivity that often lay waste most acutely in my bank account.

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2024

All that can contaminate water and soil, not to mention lay waste to large tracts of land.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 1, 2022

That fascination has infested me today like the wood-eating bugs that slowly lay waste to our house.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

lay waste

Example Sentences

Related Words