Definition of annihilate
annihilated;
annihilating
transitive verb
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
intransitive verb
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)
