withering

Adjective

• making light of
  • afire with annihilating invective
    
  • a devastating portrait of human folly
    
  • to compliments inflated I've a withering reply- W.S.Gilbert
    

• wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction
  • possessing annihilative power
    
  • a devastating hurricane
    
  • the guns opened a withering fire
    

Noun

• any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use)

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  annihilating , devastating , annihilative , atrophy