Definition

1. Noun:
   • Complete destruction or obliteration: The act of annihilating something; reducing it to nothing or to utter ruin.
   • The state of being annihilated: The condition resulting from total destruction.
   • (Physics): The process in which a particle and its antiparticle collide and are converted into energy or other particles.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The use of nuclear weapons could lead to the annihilation of entire cities.
  • The ancient civilization faced annihilation after the volcanic eruption.
  • In particle physics, electron-positron annihilation produces gamma rays.

Advanced Usage

• "Threat of annihilation": A serious danger of being completely destroyed.
  • The small country lived under the constant threat of annihilation from its more powerful neighbor.
• "Self-annihilation": The act of destroying oneself, either physically or spiritually.
  • The philosopher wrote about the concept of self-annihilation as a path to enlightenment.
• "Mutual annihilation": A scenario where two opposing forces destroy each other completely.
  • The two armies fought to the point of mutual annihilation.

Variants and Related Words

• Annihilate (verb): To destroy completely; to reduce to nothing.
  • The invading force sought to annihilate the rebel army.
• Annihilator (noun): One who or that which annihilates.
  • The general was known as the annihilator of his enemies.
• Annihilative (adjective): Having the power to annihilate.
  • The weapon had an annihilative capability.

Synonyms

• Obliteration: The action or fact of obliterating or being obliterated; total destruction.
• Extermination: Killing, especially of a whole group of people or animals.
• Eradication: The complete destruction of something.
• Extinction: The state or process of a species, family, or larger group being or becoming extinct.

Related Phrases

• "Annihilation of the self": (Philosophy/Religion) The concept of the dissolution of individual ego or identity.
  • Some mystical traditions seek the annihilation of the self to unite with the divine.
• "Annihilation radiation": (Physics) The electromagnetic radiation produced when a particle and its antiparticle annihilate each other.
  • The detector measured the gamma rays from annihilation radiation.

Idioms

• "To face annihilation": To be confronted with the prospect of total destruction.
  • The outnumbered troops knew they faced annihilation.
• "On the brink of annihilation": Very close to being completely destroyed.
  • The species was brought to the brink of annihilation by habitat loss.

Noun

1. total destruction
   • bomb tests resulted in the annihilation of the atoll
2. destruction by annihilating something