Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
to lay waste
idiomatic expression
/tə leɪ weɪst/
Definition
To cause extensive destruction or ruin to something.
Examples
- The hurricane laid waste to the entire coastal town.
- War can lay waste to entire cities and disrupt countless lives.
- The fire laid waste to the old warehouse, leaving only ashes behind.
Meaning
The phrase ‘to lay waste’ often refers to the act of completely destroying or ravaging an area or object, making it desolate or uninhabitable.
Synonyms
- destroy
- devastate
- ruin
- demolish
- wreak havoc
