annihilate

[uh-nahy-uh-leyt]

verb (used with object)

annihilated, annihilating 

1. to reduce to utter ruin or nonexistence; destroy utterly.

   The heavy bombing almost annihilated the city.

   Synonyms: demolish, obliterate, smash, desolate, devastate, ravage

2. to destroy the collective existence or main body of; wipe out.

   to annihilate an army.

   Synonyms: demolish, obliterate, smash

3. to annul; make void.

   to annihilate a law.

4. to cancel the effect of; nullify.

5. to defeat completely; vanquish.

   Our basketball team annihilated the visiting team.

annihilate

/ əˈnaɪələbəl, əˈnaɪəˌleɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to destroy completely; extinguish

2. informal,  (tr) to defeat totally, as in debate or argument

3. (intr) physics to undergo annihilation

Other Word Forms

• annihilative adjective
• annihilatory adjective
• unannihilated adjective
• unannihilative adjective
• unannihilatory adjective
• annihilable adjective
• annihilator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of annihilate¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English adnichilat(e) “destroyed,” from Late Latin annihilātus “brought to nothing,” past participle of annihilāre “to bring to nothing,” from Latin an- an- ² + nihil “nothing” + -āre, infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of annihilate¹

C16: from Late Latin annihilāre to bring to nothing, from Latin nihil nothing

Example Sentences

He annihilated the Carthaginians and Numidians standing in his way, which forced Hannibal to retreat from southern Italy to fight what each man hoped would be “a final battle” at Zama.

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How fitting that the U.N. chose that date to vote to annihilate the spirit of Jewish self-determination.

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"The consequences are that we go into a general election where Reform will be the biggest challenger in most Labour seats... and we will be annihilated."

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To emphasize the pledge, she adds: “ ‘We will annihilate them,’ . . . hitting all four syllables,” before turning away.

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Early on, researchers suspected that dark matter particles migh t be colliding and annihilating each other, creating intense bursts of radiation.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• crush 
• decimate 
• demolish 
• eradicate 
• exterminate 
• extinguish 
• finish off www.thesaurus.com
• liquidate 
• negate 
• obliterate 
• quell 
• raze 
• wipe out