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
The Late Devonian extinction, nearly four hundred million years ago, annihilated the jawless fish.
—
D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Just like a bank, however, the universe demands this energy to be paid back, which virtual particles do by annihilating each other.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2025
From the middle of the seventeenth century to the end of the Cold War, forces defeated in a battle at sea lost almost a third of their battle squadrons on average; 13 percent of the time, the losing side was annihilated altogether.
—Stephen Biddle, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2025
Caine left a strong impression on the then-first-term commander-in-chief, telling him that ISIS could be annihilated in one week.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annihilate
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D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Just like a bank, however, the universe demands this energy to be paid back, which virtual particles do by annihilating each other.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2025
From the middle of the seventeenth century to the end of the Cold War, forces defeated in a battle at sea lost almost a third of their battle squadrons on average; 13 percent of the time, the losing side was annihilated altogether.
—Stephen Biddle, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2025
Caine left a strong impression on the then-first-term commander-in-chief, telling him that ISIS could be annihilated in one week.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 22 Feb. 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 3 May. 2025.
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