ravage
gb/ɹˈævɪd͡ʒ/ us/ɹˈævɪd͡ʒ/
C1
English
elpusztít, letarol, tönkretesz, pusztítás, dúlás
VERB
C1
1
Usage pattern:
[something] ravages [place/thing]
The hurricane ravaged the coast, leaving thousands without power.
A hurrikán letarolta a partvidéket, és ezrek maradtak áram nélkül.
Wildfires ravaged the valley for three days before crews contained them.
Az erdőtüzek három napon át pusztították a völgyet, mielőtt a tűzoltócsapatok megfékezték őket.
The invasion ravaged entire villages along the border.
Learner examples
The storm ravaged the island.
A vihar letarolta a szigetet.
The fire ravaged many homes.
A tűz sok otthont elpusztított.
Common mistake:
Learners may use *ravage* for small, local damage; it usually suggests widespread or severe destruction.
Meaning
damage very badly; devastate
Collocations
ravage a town
|ravage a city
|ravage the countryside
|ravage a region
|ravage homes
|ravage crops
|ravage forests
|ravage infrastructure
|ravage communities
|be ravaged by fire
Synonyms
devastate (Common near-synonym, often used in news reports.)
|
wreck (More informal and often less dramatic.)
|
destroy (More general; *ravage* emphasizes severe, often wide-scale damage.)
Antonyms
restore (To return something to a good condition after damage.)
|
repair (To fix damage rather than cause it.)
Themes
weather
|war_conflict
|environment
|news
Definition
to damage something very badly
To cause very severe damage or destruction to a place or thing, especially over a wide area.
VERB
C1
2
tönkretesz
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] ravages [someone/something]
The illness ravaged his lungs and left him weak for months.
A betegség tönkretette a tüdejét, és hónapokra legyengítette.
Years of stress had ravaged her mental health.
Az évekig tartó stressz súlyosan tönkretette a mentális egészségét.
The scandal ravaged the company’s reputation.
Learner examples
The disease ravaged his body.
A betegség tönkretette a szervezetét.
Stress can ravage your health.
A stressz tönkreteheti az egészségedet.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse *ravage* (cause damage) with *rage* (be very angry).
Meaning
harm badly; wear down
Collocations
ravage the body
|ravage someone’s health
|ravage the immune system
|ravage the skin
|ravage a population
|ravage the economy
|ravage a reputation
|ravage someone’s confidence
|ravage mental health
|be ravaged by disease
Synonyms
cripple (Emphasizes leaving someone/something unable to function well.)
|
wreck (Informal; common for health or plans.)
|
damage (More neutral and less intense than *ravage*.)
Antonyms
heal (To make healthy again.)
|
strengthen (To make stronger rather than weaken.)
Themes
health
|emotions
|society
|work
Definition
to harm someone or something very badly
To harm someone’s health, strength, or condition very badly, or to damage something such as a system or reputation severely.
NOUN
C1
3
pusztítás
B2
Usage pattern:
the ravages of [time/war/disease/etc.]
The old building showed the ravages of time and neglect.
A régi épületen meglátszott az idő és az elhanyagoltság pusztítása.
The documentary focused on the ravages of war in the region.
A dokumentumfilm a háború pusztító hatásaira összpontosított a térségben.
Her hands carried the ravages of decades of hard work.
Learner examples
The house shows the ravages of time.
A házon meglátszik az idő pusztítása.
War leaves terrible ravages.
A háború rettenetes pusztítást hagy maga után.
Common mistake:
This meaning is most often plural (*the ravages of time*), not singular (*a ravage*).
Meaning
destructive effects; damage
Collocations
the ravages of time
|the ravages of war
|the ravages of age
|the ravages of disease
|the ravages of poverty
|escape the ravages
|bear the ravages
|visible ravages
|the ravages of conflict
|the ravages of famine
Synonyms
devastation (Strong, common noun for great destruction.)
|
destruction (More general; does not necessarily suggest ongoing effects.)
|
damage (Weaker and more neutral than *ravages*.)
Antonyms
recovery (Improvement after damage or illness.)
|
restoration (Return to a better condition after harm.)
Themes
time
|health
|war_conflict
|news
Definition
very bad damage, often over time
Severe damage or destruction, especially the harmful effects of something over time; usually used in the plural as ravages.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
4
Usage pattern:
a ravage of [place/thing]
The novel describes the ravage of the countryside during the rebellion.
A regény a vidék dúlását írja le a felkelés idején.
They returned to find ravage where fields had once been.
Visszatérve pusztulást találtak ott, ahol egykor szántóföldek voltak.
Common mistake:
In modern English, this singular noun use is uncommon; *ravages* (plural) is much more typical.
Meaning
an act of violent destruction
Collocations
a ravage of war
|a ravage of fire
|a ravage of the land
|leave ravage behind
|acts of ravage
Synonyms
raid (Focuses on a sudden attack; may or may not imply large-scale destruction.)
|
onslaught (Emphasizes the attacking force and intensity.)
|
devastation (More common noun; less tied to a single act.)
Antonyms
protection (Preventing harm or damage.)
Themes
war_conflict
|history
|literature
Definition
a violent act that causes great damage
An instance of severe destruction or devastation, especially in a violent or uncontrolled way.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ravage
IPA
GB/ɹˈævɪd͡ʒ/
US/ɹˈævɪd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
rav - age (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (rav)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: ravage
- 3rd Person Singular: ravages
- Present Participle: ravaging
- Past: ravaged
Expressions
be ravaged by [something]
1/bˈi ɹˈævɪd͡ʒd bˈaɪ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
be badly damaged by
to be very badly damaged by something
Examples
- The town was ravaged by floods last spring.
- His body was ravaged by the infection.
- The region has been ravaged by conflict for decades.
Learner examples
- The city was ravaged by a storm.
ravage and pillage
1/ɹˈævɪd͡ʒ ˈænd pˈɪlɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
literary
destroy and steal violently
to destroy a place and steal things
Examples
- The invading army moved from town to town to ravage and pillage.
- Stories of soldiers who ravaged and pillaged the villages spread quickly.
the ravages of [something]
1/ðə ɹˈævɪd͡ʒɪz əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
harmful effects over time
very bad damage caused by something
Examples
- You can see the ravages of time on the old stonework.
- The report documented the ravages of civil war.
- The ravages of the disease spread quickly through the community.
Learner examples
- You can see the ravages of age.