Are you writing a scene in which characters are feeling devasted? If you need some help, we’ve explained how to describe devastation in writing in this article.
1. Intense
Definition
Something that’s very extreme in degree or strength.
Examples
“His feelings of devastation were so intense that his breathing faltered. He couldn’t believe what was happening.”
“She looked out the window and let the intense devastation wash over her. It was painful but necessary.”
How it Adds Description
If you want to reinforce how strong or extreme your character’s feelings of devastation are, “intense” is a helpful adjective. This emphasizes the extent of the feelings, which further shows the characters are likely suffering through severe emotions. A character feeling “intense” devastation might be unable to talk or act normally due to the terrible situation.
2. Shocking
Definition
Something that’s very bad and surprising.
Examples
“The post-storm devastation was shocking. The town was completely unrecognizable, and its inhabitants were outraged.”
“His sudden feelings of devastation were shocking, and he didn’t know what to do with his excess sadness.”
How it Adds Description
“Shocking” can show that your fictional devastation is dreadful and surprising simultaneously. You can apply this to both emotional and physical devastation, and the adjective reinforces that the devastating events have left characters feeling astonished or upset. “Shocking” devastation might cause characters to feel overwhelmed, and those more disposed to anger may become enraged.
3. Never-Ending
Definition
Something that doesn’t stop or lasts for a long time.
Examples
“The villain continued to wreak never-ending devastation on the city, despite the cries of the helpless civilians.”
“Her personal devastation was never-ending, and her personality was permanently dampened due to it.”
How it Adds Description
You can show characters are struggling with devastation through “never-ending.” This adjective shows the feelings or events feel like they’re endless or literally do last for a continuous amount of time. Characters feeling “never-ending” devastation could become difficult to be around, as their personalities are likely to become melancholic or gloomy.
4. Hopeless
Definition
Feelings of unhappiness due to a loss of control or no possibility of improvement.
Examples
“As soon as she realized her engagement ring was missing, she became hopelessly devastated and wailed for hours.”
“The man was hopelessly devastated, and getting out of bed every morning was a significant challenge.”
How it Adds Description
Devastation can refer to widespread damage or destruction, and this can leave characters feeling “hopeless” about their situation and the future. “Hopelessly” devastated characters may be very sulky and negative about future prospects, and thus they might become reclusive or avoided by other people.
5. Entirely
Definition
Something that’s complete or very intense.
Examples
“She’s entirely devastated, of course. Anyone would be after suffering the horrors she’d seen.”
“The evening was entirely devastating, and she couldn’t wait to go home.”
“He found the sad movie entirely devastating and was glad he bought the tissues to the movies.”
“When the postman passed for the third day without any good news, he became entirely devastated.”
How it Adds Description
If you want to stress just how devastated a character or situation is, “entirely” is the adjective to use. This word is typically used to accentuate feelings or descriptions and can remind your audience just how powerful the devastation is. Characters who are “entirely” devastated might be physically overwhelmed, leaving them unable to participate in normal activities.
6. Recent
Definition
Something that happened not long ago.
Examples
“The recent devastation was evident everywhere. The buildings were in ruins, and debris lined the streets.”
“She peered through her curtains at the recent devastation. She’d secretly hoped she’d dreamed it all, but her view proved otherwise.”
How it Adds Description
“Recent” gives a sense of time to the fictional devastation. This word shows that the incident or feelings occurred recently, and this shows your readers that the effects might be more intense as the characters haven’t had a chance to process them. “Recent” devastation might feel more painful than older instances, as the emotional wounds are still fresh.
7. Minimal
Definition
Something that’s small in degree or quantity.
Examples
“He was thankful that the devastation was minimal. He couldn’t deal with another big event.”
“She was so fragile that even some minimal devastation could break her spirit.”
How it Adds Description
Not all devastation is intense or great. If you want to show your fictional devastation is on a smaller scale, “minimal” is a good adjective to use. This word shows characters are only suffering on a small scale, and any physical devastation is negligible. Characters might be thankful for “minimal” devastation, as the situation could have been worse.
8. Agonizing
Definition
Something that causes strong mental or physical pain.
Examples
“He looked around at the agonizing devastation and felt bad for the people who had to deal with the after-effects of it.”
“It was clear that the devastation of the city was agonizing to its inhabitants.”
“She examined the agonizing devastation caused by the accident. It looked like a horror movie set.”
“After she heard the bad news, the agonizing devastation started to set in.”
How it Adds Description
Sometimes devastation leads to mental or physical pain, and if really severe, it can be described as “agonizing.” Characters suffering through “agonizing” situations might be incapacitated by the pain and may need to rely on others’ assistance to get through it.
9. Disruptive
Definition
Something that prevents normal functioning or operations.
Examples
“The city constantly suffered from disruptive devastation, yet no one could work out why. It made living there nearly impossible.”
“She prayed for some disruptive devastation during her exam. She needed a freak event to occur because she hadn’t studied for months.”
How it Adds Description
A situation can become “disruptive” when it stops usual happenings, and devastating events are often guilty of this. Characters experiencing a “disruptive” situation might become very frustrated. However, they might also get scared, especially if the devastation is life-threatening or dangerous. Brave characters might even jump in and try to help, depending on the severity of the event.
10. Perilous
Definition
Something that’s extremely dangerous.
Examples
“Her feelings of devastation were perilous to herself. She wasn’t acting like her normal self, and this worried her family.”
“The earthquake’s perilous devastation made the streets unsafe, and the council advised everyone to stay inside.”
How it Adds Description
You can use “perilous” to show how devastation leaves a physical scene unsafe, or you can show how devastating emotions are causing dangerous behaviors in characters. “Perilous” devastation might cause characters to become extremely stressed, and those with anxiety might be too overwhelmed to help deal with the events.