annihilate
verb
an·ni·hi·late
ə-ˈnī-ə-ˌlāt 
annihilated; annihilating
1
a
: to cause to cease to exist : to do away with entirely so that nothing remains
b
: to destroy a considerable part of
Bombs annihilated the city.
The enemy troops were annihilated.
c
: to defeat overwhelmingly : rout
annihilated the visitors 56–0
2
a
: to cause to be of no effect : nullify
a right to freedom that cannot be annihilated
b
: to destroy the substance or force of
Fear can annihilate one's confidence.
3
: to regard as of no consequence
4
: to cause (something, such as a particle and its antiparticle) to vanish or cease to exist by coming together and changing into other forms of energy (such as photons)
matter and antimatter annihilate each other
of a particle and its antiparticle
: to vanish or cease to exist by coming together and changing into other forms of energy (such as photons)
Examples of annihilate in a Sentence
The enemy troops were annihilated.
He annihilated his opponent in the last election.
Recent Examples on the Web
How is annihilating the world a good defensive measure?
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
An example of that is the suggestion that certain dark matter candidates could become trapped in neutron stars, gathering and gradually annihilating each other thus heating these stellar remnants.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 25 Aug. 2025
This book is about the possibility that books can, instead of offering some kind of therapy, annihilate you—like, truly slam the door shut on the idea of delivering you into emotional equilibrium.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
No longer content to accuse Jews of killing individuals, the world now accuses the Jewish state of attempting to annihilate an entire population.
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annihilate
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Zac Ntim, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
An example of that is the suggestion that certain dark matter candidates could become trapped in neutron stars, gathering and gradually annihilating each other thus heating these stellar remnants.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 25 Aug. 2025
This book is about the possibility that books can, instead of offering some kind of therapy, annihilate you—like, truly slam the door shut on the idea of delivering you into emotional equilibrium.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
No longer content to accuse Jews of killing individuals, the world now accuses the Jewish state of attempting to annihilate an entire population.
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annihilate
Cite this Entry
“Annihilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annihilate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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