obliterate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
obliterates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
obliterated,
past participle, past
-
obliterating
present participle
-
to remove or destroy all traces of; do away with; destroy completely.
-
to blot out or render undecipherable (writing, marks, etc.); efface.
- Synonyms:
- expunge
verb
Synonym Usage
See cancel.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
obliteratesimple
-
obliteratessimple
-
have obliteratedperfect
-
has obliteratedperfect
-
am obliteratingprogressive
-
are obliteratingprogressive
-
is obliteratingprogressive
-
have been obliteratingperfect progressive
-
has been obliteratingperfect progressive
Past
-
obliteratedsimple
-
had obliteratedperfect
-
was obliteratingprogressive
-
were obliteratingprogressive
-
had been obliteratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of obliterate
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin oblitterātus “effaced,” past participle of oblitterāre “to efface, cause to be forgotten,” equivalent to ob- ob- + litter(a) letter 1 + -āre, infinitive verb suffix
Explanation
When you see obliterate, think of evil alien invaders that zap a planet with a destructive ray. In one blast, the planet and all of the people on it are vaporized. The planet is truly obliterated, or completely wiped out. A long time ago, obliterate had to do with blotting out words on a page. This is why you see the word literate in there. Today it means to erase or destroy completely so that there is nothing left. While you can still obliterate text, you can also obliterate hope, an opponent, or all traces of your presence. Whatever you obliterate is completely gone.
Vocabulary lists containing obliterate
List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Lightning Thief
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: September 17 - 24, 2017
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“He had been president only thirteen days—and now he faced the prospect that to end the war and save American lives, he might have to obliterate Japan’s cities,” Mr. Scott writes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
If you not yet 65 and are using ACA coverage, Roth conversions can obliterate premium subsidies.
From MarketWatch ● May 8, 2026
But the full force of energy bursting from Cyclops' visor should obliterate those cobwebs.
From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2026
Nearly 60 years later, Congress has done all it can to obliterate that mission.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2025
You obliterate yourself in the name of speed.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
“He obliterates the rest of the skill position guys,” said Mickey Marotti, the Buckeyes’ strength and performance coach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
For the sake of one great moment, she’ll ask us to forget all the other ones it obliterates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2025
Was it because, while each character dresses conservatively, Flo’s wardrobe obliterates any trace of curves by sheathing her in a bulky apron?
From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2023
“It’s still the most subversive comedy in ages, a smart bomb that obliterates its intended target.”
From Washington Times ● Dec. 3, 2023
His most remarkable feature besides his paleness, a paleness that obliterates any possible expression, is his hair.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
In April, he obliterated a racquet after losing 6-0 6-0 at the Monte Carlo Masters and was again fined for unsportsmanlike conduct.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
After the June 2025 strikes, he said Iran’s nuclear program was obliterated, although Tehran retained a large stockpile of highly enriched material and underground sites where it could revive work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
This year's number of summer heatwave days obliterated the previous high of 41 from 2022.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush — a man whose own presidential campaign was obliterated by a reality TV host — called a Pratt campaign video “maybe the best political ad of the year.”
From Salon ● May 18, 2026
The Second Army had been nearly obliterated in Ravka’s civil war.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Olivia Dean speaks about obliterating a record held by Abba, toppling Jay-Z and Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and why meeting Stevie Wonder almost did her in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
The United States is the only country to have used nuclear weapons in combat, obliterating the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II, killing some 214,000 people.
From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026
Live performances rooted in the Black experience, and scripted by Strachan, take place among museum visitors, obliterating the divide between art and spectator.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025
Even so, former Leeds and Manchester City defender Mills acknowledged that obliterating a record set by multiple Olympic gold winner Farah was something special.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2025
His stars are different from the ones in the Bible: they’re wordless, they flame in an obliterating silence.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
