To cause extensive damage or destruction, especially in a violent or aggressive manner.
Examples:
The wildfire continued to ravage the national park.Invasive species can ravage local ecosystems rapidly.Years of war can ravage both the land and its people.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ravish
/ˈrævɪʃ/
To fill someone with pleasure or delight
Examples:
The orchestra's performance ravished the audience.Her novel's vivid descriptions managed to ravish even the toughest critic.The sunset's vibrant colors seemed to ravish the horizon.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
Ravage contains the word rage, which aligns with its meaning of destruction and violence.
Ravish has an ish ending, similar to wish, which can remind you of its more gentle, often romantic or compelling context.
Ravage can sound like savage, both sharing a connotation of destruction or devastation.
Ravish can sound like lavish, providing a hint towards indulgence or delight.
Ravish also may suggest an emotional state or action tied to the senses, unlike the comprehensive destructiveness implied by ravage.