Exterminate vs Ravage - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between exterminate and ravage

is that exterminate is to kill all of a population, usually deliberate and especially applied to pests while ravage is .

(exterminat)

To kill all of a population, usually deliberate and especially applied to pests.

We'll use poison to exterminate the rats.

(figuratively) To bring a definite end to, finish completely. A rather strong word that implies that what has been ended won't resurface.

Even a mass birching at the public school failed to exterminate truancy.

* (to kill all) annihilate, eradicate, extermine, uproot * (to bring an end to) stamp out * See also

* extermination * exterminative * exterminator * exterminatory

To devastate or destroy something.

To pillage or sack something, to lay waste to something.

To wreak destruction.

(en noun)

Grievous damage or havoc.

* Addison

Would one think 'twere possible for love / To make such ravage in a noble soul?

Depredation or devastation

the ravage''' of a lion; the '''ravages''' of fire or tempest; the '''ravages of an army, or of time

* * ----