obliterative
adjective
oblit·er·a·tive
ə-ˈbli-tə-ˌrā-tiv 
ō-,
-rə-tiv
: inducing or characterized by obliteration: such as
a
: causing or accompanied by closure or collapse of a lumen
obliterative arterial disease
b
: tending to make inconspicuous
obliterative behavior
Examples of obliterative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So engineers at Pennsylvania State University came up with an engine that combines the positive attributes of fission and fusion with the obliterative energy available in antimatter collisions.
—
Meghan Herbst, Wired, 17 June 2021
That’s all that was needed; deaf culture went on the chopping block the minute an obliterative procedure was developed.
—New York Times, 6 Apr. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Meghan Herbst, Wired, 17 June 2021
That’s all that was needed; deaf culture went on the chopping block the minute an obliterative procedure was developed.
—New York Times, 6 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Obliterative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obliterative. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
obliterative
adjective
oblit·er·a·tive
ə-ˈblit-ə-ˌrāt-iv
ō-
ō-
-ə-rət-
: inducing or characterized by obliteration
especially
: causing or accompanied by closure or collapse of a lumen
obliterative arterial disease
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share