annihilate
/ə'naiəleit/
Definition
- Verb:
- To destroy something completely so that nothing remains; to obliterate utterly.
- To defeat someone or something totally and decisively.
Usage
The verb "annihilate" is used to describe an action of complete and total destruction. It is a strong word, often used in contexts of war, competition, or theoretical physics. It can be used with both concrete objects (like cities or armies) and abstract concepts (like hope or an argument).
Examples
- Verb:
- The invading army sought to annihilate the enemy forces.
- The new evidence completely annihilated the prosecutor's argument.
- In the debate, she annihilated her opponent with facts and logic.
Advanced Usage
- In Physics: To describe the process where a particle and its antiparticle collide and are converted into energy.
- When an electron and a positron meet, they annihilate each other, producing gamma rays.
Variants and Related Words
- Annihilation (n): The act of annihilating or the state of being annihilated; complete destruction.
- The nuclear war threatened the annihilation of all life on the planet.
- Annihilator (n): A person or thing that annihilates.
Synonyms
- Obliterate: To remove all signs of; destroy completely.
- Exterminate: To destroy completely (often used for living things like pests or people).
- Eradicate: To destroy or get rid of something completely.
- Wipe out: To destroy something completely (informal).
Antonyms
- Create: To bring something into existence.
- Build: To construct or form something.
- Preserve: To maintain something in its original or existing state.
Related Phrases/Idioms
- To annihilate the competition: To defeat all rivals completely and decisively, often in business or sports.
- Their new product was so innovative it annihilated the competition.
Verb
-
kill in large numbers
-
the plague wiped out an entire population
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