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
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.
Recent Examples of annihilate
This book is about the possibility that books can, instead of offering some kind of therapy, annihilate you—like, truly slam the door shut on the idea of delivering you into emotional equilibrium.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
No longer content to accuse Jews of killing individuals, the world now accuses the Jewish state of attempting to annihilate an entire population.
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
These are all weapons specifically designed to annihilate outsiders trying to get inside the cities, weapons meant to cause the most pain for the amusement of the insiders (think a napalm bomb ornately decorated in the shape of a cone, which liquifies outsiders in seconds).
—Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2025
Nuclear weapons are the only weapons ever created with the power to annihilate all of humanity – and that makes disarmament not just a political issue, but a moral imperative.
—Masako Toki, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annihilate
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
No longer content to accuse Jews of killing individuals, the world now accuses the Jewish state of attempting to annihilate an entire population.
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
These are all weapons specifically designed to annihilate outsiders trying to get inside the cities, weapons meant to cause the most pain for the amusement of the insiders (think a napalm bomb ornately decorated in the shape of a cone, which liquifies outsiders in seconds).
—Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2025
Nuclear weapons are the only weapons ever created with the power to annihilate all of humanity – and that makes disarmament not just a political issue, but a moral imperative.
—Masako Toki, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annihilate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for annihilate
Verb
-
In that time, the potentially fatal disease has been virtually eradicated among American children.—
Kff Health News,
Oc Register,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Although interest in Russian Cosmism was quickly eradicated, the movement has acquired new life in the 21st century.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Some are value-destroying black holes; others are relentless value creators.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The first instance of NATO nations downing drones came last week, when Polish and Dutch fighters destroyed three Russian drones over Poland.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
How Wi-Fi HaLow Can Help Address These Needs To overcome connectivity gaps in large-scale environmental monitoring, some researchers and technologists are turning to Wi-Fi HaLow.—
Michael De Nil,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The movie adaptation is also rife with metaphors about boys becoming men and overcoming life-or-death circumstances to make it out the other side.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Total job growth was revised lower by the largest amount in history, The revisions erased 911 thousand jobs over the full year period, adding to mounting concerns of a weakening labor market and fueling questions as to the reliability of monthly data being used to gauge employment.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An image taken on August 19 shows Israeli excavators and bulldozers demolishing buildings in Zeitoun.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In a shocking and dominant performance, Lesnar completely demolished Cena, delivering 16 German suplexes in a one-sided beatdown to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the late historian Barry Rubin documented in his biography of Arafat, the Palestinian leader used a variety of methods, both buying off and burying his opponents.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Early in the novel, Harold points out that authors are constantly looking for ways to bury their true beliefs in their text, rather than state them outright.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Iranian authorities must immediately implement a moratorium on all executions and abolish the death penalty.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The Department of Labor withdrew a plan to establish a minimum wage for workers with disabilities and abolished wage protections for the home-health aides who assist millions of seniors and disabled people.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Some hardware is brass-plated, which means scrubbing could expose the metal underneath and ruin the finish.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Annihilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/annihilate. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share