Phrase guide

lay waste

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To completely destroy, especially of a geographical area or region.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: devastate, ravage, destroy, annihilate, aerosolize, atomize, benothing, bewreck, blot out, blotto, dash, decompose, demolish, desolate, diffuse, disintegrate, disperse, dissolve, eliminate, eradicate, erase, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, fordo, fuck, harry, jazz, lay waste, level, liquidate, nuke, obliterate, overthrow, overturn, pull down, pulverize, race, raze, ravel, remove, ruin, ruinate, stamp out, total, subvert, unbreed, unexist, unmake, uproot, waste, wipe out, wipe off, wreck

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

simple past of lie waste

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, past

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

38 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: ødelægge — to completely destroy
  • Dutch: verwoesten — to completely destroy
  • Finnish: hävittää — to completely destroy
  • German: verheeren — to completely destroy
  • German: verwüsten — to completely destroy
  • Ancient Greek: ἐρημόω (erēmóō) — to completely destroy
  • Ido: devastar — to completely destroy
  • Irish: bánaigh — to completely destroy
  • Irish: fásaigh — to completely destroy
  • Irish: folmhaigh — to completely destroy
  • Italian: mettere a ferro e fuoco — to completely destroy
  • Latin: vastō — to completely destroy
  • Latin: dēvastō — to completely destroy
  • Latin: populor — to completely destroy
  • Old English: forhergian — to completely destroy
  • Portuguese: devastar — to completely destroy
  • Portuguese: vastar — to completely destroy
  • Romanian: devasta — to completely destroy
  • Russian: опустоша́ть (opustošátʹ) — to completely destroy
  • Russian: опустоши́ть (opustošítʹ) — to completely destroy
  • Russian: разоря́ть (razorjátʹ) — to completely destroy
  • Russian: разори́ть (razorítʹ) — to completely destroy
  • Serbo-Croatian: opustošiti — to completely destroy
  • Slovene: opustošiti — to completely destroy
  • Spanish: arrasar — to completely destroy
  • Spanish: devastar — to completely destroy
  • Spanish: yermar — to completely destroy
  • Swedish: ödelägga — to completely destroy
  • Turkish: tahrip etmek — to completely destroy
  • Turkish: harap etmek — to completely destroy
  • Turkish: yakıp yıkmak — to completely destroy
  • Ukrainian: спусто́шувати (spustóšuvaty) — to completely destroy
  • Ukrainian: спусто́шити (spustóšyty) — to completely destroy
  • Ukrainian: розоря́ти (rozorjáty) — to completely destroy
  • Ukrainian: розори́ти (rozorýty) — to completely destroy
  • Ukrainian: плюндрува́ти (pljundruváty) — to completely destroy
  • Ukrainian: сплюндрува́ти (spljundruváty) — to completely destroy
  • Ukrainian: пусто́шити (pustóšyty) — to completely destroy