annihilating

present participle of annihilate
1
2
as in destroying
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

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 annihilating However, this new research showed that these point sources, including pulsars, would be extremely faint, and that is good news for scientists who favor annihilating dark matter as the cause of these gamma rays. Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 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 Instead, it is filled with a froth of virtual particles becoming real in pairs, waving to us, annihilating each other, and sinking back into the soup of virtual particles. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026 One compelling hypothesis is that dark matter particles in the dense central halo are interacting with and annihilating one another, releasing energy as gamma rays. Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 2026 That means eliminating Iran's Navy, which is now absolutely destroyed, hurting their Air Force and their missile program at levels never seen before, and annihilating their defense industrial base. James Powel, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026 So, if the president succeeds in 'annihilating,' in his words, the Iranian navy, then long-term prospects of closure should decline, and that should increase the likelihood that ships will start sailing again. David McHugh, Arkansas Online, 3 Mar. 2026 Its project is annihilating transformation. Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for annihilating
Verb
  • Frustratingly, Rubus armeniacus is notoriously difficult to get rid of, as traditional approaches to invasive management such as fire, herbicide, and mowing are insufficient at eradicating the plant.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2026
  • Incomplete or inappropriate antibiotic courses amplify this effect by exposing bacteria to sub-therapeutic drug concentrations without eradicating them.
    Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • That second blaze burned charred 23,500 acres in that community, Malibu and elsewhere, killing 12 people and destroying or damaging more than 7,500 homes and businesses.
    Sierra Van Der Brug, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
  • These kinds of old negatives are often stored inside cans and are so fragile they can’t be unrolled without destroying them, Seales says.
    Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • The strategies aim to do away with piecemeal approaches to overcoming the unique challenges that islands and coastal communities face, offering a comprehensive approach, said Raffaele Fitto, European Commission executive vice president for cohesion and reforms.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 June 2026
  • How did overcoming addiction play a role in this album?
    Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Maybe Destiny 2 needed to end at some point, but there’s a difference between that and announcing the next stage of the IP, and erasing it from existence and laying off the hundreds of talented team members still making great content right down to the last minute.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • Electronic dance music scholars have noted that countercultural scenes have shifted into a global industry, reshaping or erasing local meanings in favor of commercialization.
    Carla Vecchiola, The Conversation, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • But everyday people expressed their political outrage time and again, throwing rocks at and demolishing the houses of government officials, torching the king’s ships and forts and, eventually, marching to battle.
    Robert Parkinson, The Conversation, 24 June 2026
  • During that 25-day closure, PennDOT crews will be demolishing the existing Commercial Street Bridge and sliding in the new bridge, which has been constructed alongside the Parkway East outside of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel.
    Mike Darnay, CBS News, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • The structure suddenly collapsed, burying the people within.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
  • Since then, the city has touted its success in burying most of its wires while keeping rates competitive with other utilities.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • Among the subjects Avila Chevalier says Democrats should focus on are affordability, federal budgets focused on aiding working people, and a more just immigration system — including abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
    Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
  • Avila Chevalier survived a deluge of attacks for previous social media posts that called for abolishing the police and prisons.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • The company was saving a few bucks but ruining its product.
    Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 25 June 2026
  • Adidas’s everyday sneakers can handle 20,000 steps without ruining an outfit, perfectly balancing cool with comfy.
    Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 22 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Annihilating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/annihilating. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on annihilating

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster