pulverize

[ puhl-vuh-rahyz ]

verb (used with object)

, pul·ver·ized, pul·ver·iz·ing.

1. to reduce to dust or powder, as by pounding or grinding.
2. to demolish or crush completely.
3. Slang. to defeat, hurt badly, or, figuratively, render helpless:

   The Kid pulverized Jackson with a series of brutal lefts. He's a veteran nightclub comic who can pulverize any audience in seconds.

verb (used without object)

, pul·ver·ized, pul·ver·iz·ing.

1. to become reduced to dust.

pulverize

/ ˈpʌlvəˌraɪz /

verb

1. to reduce (a substance) to fine particles, as by crushing or grinding, or (of a substance) to be so reduced
2. tr to destroy completely; defeat or injure seriously

Derived Forms

• ˈpulverˌizable, adjective
• ˈpulverˌizer, noun
• ˌpulveriˈzation, noun

Other Words From

• pulver·iza·ble adjective
• pulver·i·zation noun
• pulver·izer noun
• sub·pulver·izer noun
• un·pulver·ized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulverize¹

1575–85; < Late Latin pulverizāre to reduce to powder, equivalent to Latin pulver- (stem of pulvis; akin to pollen ) dust + -izāre -ize

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulverize¹

C16: from Late Latin pulverizare or French pulvériser, from Latin pulverum, from pulvis dust

Example Sentences

“These 110-story towers essentially got pulverized into small fragments,” says John Howard, a doctor and public health expert serving as administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program.

From Popular-Science

Court’s record is the only significant one Williams hasn’t matched or broken in a 26-year career in which she revolutionized women’s tennis with her powerful groundstrokes and pulverizing serve.

From Washington Post

They grabbed the nearest nut and pulverized it in crunching staccato.

From Washington Post

They envisioned an air war in which Britain's economic and technological superiority would slowly pulverize Germany.

From The Daily Beast

Along the way, the GOP yearns to privatize and pulverize Medicare and Social Security.

From The Daily Beast

Egypt has first-class F-16s that could pulverize any Libyan opposition.

From The Daily Beast

If the ground is well burned it will be a little crusty and whitish, and will pulverize beautifully.

From Project Gutenberg

This is an esculent resembling arrowroot, which they dig, pulverize, and use as flour.

From Project Gutenberg

For his own use the farmer can pulverize smaller quantities by the simple method of pounding the flowers in a mortar.

From Project Gutenberg

He directs us to pulverize in a marble mortar one pound of sulphur, two of charcoal, and six of saltpetre.

From Project Gutenberg

For domestic uses, dry quickly, and pulverize, and put away in tight glass bottles.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• annihilate
• decimate
• demolish
• flatten
• shatter
• vanquish
• vaporize