pulverize

verb

pul·​ver·​ize ˈpəl-və-ˌrīz How to pronounce pulverize (audio)
pulverized; pulverizing

transitive verb

1
: to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles : atomize
pulverize rock
2
pulverizable adjective
pulverization noun
pulverizer noun

Examples of pulverize in a Sentence

The mower pulverizes grass clippings. Bits of pulverized rock filled the air.
Recent Examples on the Web The grisly incident encapsulates much of the horror of the moment in Gaza, a territory that has been pulverized by the Israeli military campaign that followed Hamas’s deadly Oct. 7 strike on southern Israel. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 Remember that volcanic ash is pulverized pieces of volcanic glass and(or) rock, so getting that in your lungs is never good. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 2023 Now, in a study published earlier this year in the journal Nature Geoscience, a group of researchers argue that ultimately pulverized rock in the form of dust thrown up by the asteroid’s impact may have driven harsh climatic conditions. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023 Awaiting them is an army of guards and creepy biomechanical creatures who, of course, the Guardians pulverize in exhilarating fashion. Daron James, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2023 In clinic offices and outpatient surgical centers, doctors were inserting into leg arteries catheters affixed with lasers or blades to pulverize fatty deposits from vessel walls. Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 12 Dec. 2023 Despite five mass extinctions brought about by arctic freezes, scorching heat, incendiary lightning strikes, cataclysmic asteroids, volcanic detonations, and pulverizing tectonic shifts, life has always found a way to burst into bloom, to be fruitful and multiply. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2023 Next is the decision-making process—who has the authority and capability to decide to pulverize an incoming asteroid and using what criteria? Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pulverize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin pulverizare, from Latin pulver-, pulvis dust, powder — more at powder

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pulverize was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near pulverize

Cite this Entry

“Pulverize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulverize. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pulverize

verb
pul·​ver·​ize ˈpəl-və-ˌrīz How to pronounce pulverize (audio)
pulverized; pulverizing
1
: to beat or grind into a powder or dust
2
: to destroy as if by pulverizing

Medical Definition

pulverize

verb
pul·​ver·​ize
variants also British pulverise
pulverized also British pulverised; pulverizing also British pulverising

transitive verb

: to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles

More from Merriam-Webster on pulverize

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