1
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
the family's attempts to annihilate the roach population in their apartment had met with little success
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the tornado simply annihilated the family's home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to overcome
to defeat by a large margin
we didn't just win; we absolutely annihilated them!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of annihilate
Through smart positioning and tactical moves (plus powers) used at the right times, the goal is to either annihilate or repel the enemy forces.
—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
2 June 2026
If a president’s dire threats to annihilate a civilization can instantaneously go global, so too can videos of fans on their hands and knees, filling trash bags.
—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
1 June 2026
If Neptune did have an original set of moons that more closely resembled those of its planetary neighbors, the arrival of Triton — which is just smaller than our own moon — would have wreaked havoc, crashing into the other satellites and annihilating some of them.
—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Now southern Republicans are annihilating Black political power.
—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for annihilate
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
2 June 2026
If a president’s dire threats to annihilate a civilization can instantaneously go global, so too can videos of fans on their hands and knees, filling trash bags.
—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
1 June 2026
If Neptune did have an original set of moons that more closely resembled those of its planetary neighbors, the arrival of Triton — which is just smaller than our own moon — would have wreaked havoc, crashing into the other satellites and annihilating some of them.
—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Now southern Republicans are annihilating Black political power.
—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for annihilate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for annihilate
Verb
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Incomplete or inappropriate antibiotic courses amplify this effect by exposing bacteria to sub-therapeutic drug concentrations without eradicating them.
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Building new sterile fly production facilities in the Southwest helped eradicate the flies in that region too, and by 1966, the US was declared officially screwworm-free.
Verb
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Both victims died in separate mobile homes that were destroyed about two to three miles apart, Bullard said.
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If Iran’s atomic weapons infrastructure was destroyed in this war, funneling hundreds of billions into the country can’t be used to rebuild it.
Verb
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Rather than be benched, Devers batted cleanup, overcame an 0-for-3 start, and singled up the middle in the seventh to score Bryce Eldridge, who narrowly beat a tag at the plate for a 3-1 lead.
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Its highly specialized strategy likely evolved to take advantage of the ant’s natural aggression and then overcome its defenses; the slingshot mechanism flings the ant from the foraging trail, reducing the risk that the spider will be swarmed by other workers, the researchers hypothesized.
Verb
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By the time the boundary issues were partially corrected in the 1960s, both the cemetery and the surrounding Black community had been largely erased from public memory.
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Still, state environmental officials and weather experts say the rainfall deficits dating back to last fall have not been completely erased.
Verb
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The existing residence was demolished, though plans to build a new house never moved forward.
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The military has bulldozed or demolished wide swaths of the zone, and the area, where most of Gaza’s agricultural land lies, is inaccessible to Palestinians.
Verb
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Minnesota Department of Transportation A pile of hailstones buried a lawn chair in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
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There is a second worry buried in the FSB report, quieter but arguably sharper.
Verb
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Avila Chevalier survived a deluge of attacks for previous social media posts that called for abolishing the police and prisons.
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Earlier this month, the bloc also released more information about its own plans for abolishing its de minimis exemption on June 30.
Verb
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Don't Worry Too Much About Saltwater Or Chlorine Many people assume a quick swim in the ocean or pool will ruin their sunglasses.
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Could the Boston Celtics or another team ruin the Heat’s plan, swooping in and trading for Antetokounmpo this offseason and getting a long-term commitment from him?
Cite this Entry
“Annihilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/annihilate. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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