pulverize

American  

[puhl-vuh-rahyz] / ˈpʌl vəˌraɪz /

especially British, pulverise

verb (used with object)

pulverized, pulverizing

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.

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verb (used without object)

pulverized, pulverizing

1. to become reduced to dust.

pulverize British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• pulverizable adjective
• pulverization noun
• pulverizer noun
• subpulverizer noun
• unpulverized adjective

Etymology

Origin of pulverize

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

Example Sentences

Yet Garrett’s ability to rack up sacks in spite of the Browns’ woes makes him an extraordinary outlier among the small club of elite players who specialize in pulverizing quarterbacks into dust.

From The Wall Street Journal

Norman’s ability to pulverize the ball off the tee led him to British Open victories in 1986 and 1993, though his near misses were just as memorable.

From The Wall Street Journal

The site, south of Rogers’ polo field, also was used to pulverize concrete removed from burned properties.

From Los Angeles Times

Retrieving the bodies from the Palestinian territory was difficult because it had been "pulverized," meaning that specialized equipment would be needed to get them out, they added.

From Barron's

Those efforts could be in vain if Haiti’s local economy is pulverized, making recovery efforts more challenging.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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