obliterate

verb

ə-ˈbli-tə-ˌrāt How to pronounce obliterate (audio)
Definition of obliteratenext
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of in a stroke, the March snowstorm obliterated our hopes for an early spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 obliterate Brendan Smialowski | Afp | Getty Images When most people think of AI and jobs, the conversation often pivots to which occupations are most likely to be obliterated by its arrival. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026 The Strip had been largely obliterated in the war between Hamas and Israel, and most of its two million inhabitants were living in tents or in the ruins; images of human misery had flooded screens around the world. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 The work’s profound effect on the world that came after it…has been so far-reaching as to obliterate any possibility of seeing or hearing it afresh. — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026 For instance, one of Kennedy’s first actions as health secretary last year was to obliterate an ad campaign for flu shots amid a particularly deadly flu season. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obliterate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliterate
  1. eradicate
  2. erase
  3. abolish
  4. destroy
Verb
  • Yet, we’re told by this administration that non-citizen voting is rampant and must be eradicated.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Plans to eradicate the remaining invasive mammals is already underway.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Verb
  • Credit stress at CoreWeave, concerns over corporate AI spending and another hot inflation report erased more than $1 trillion from 20 of the world's largest AI and semiconductor stocks this week.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • His apprehension turned into anger when the city’s Department of Transportation erased the DIY crosswalks two months later.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of erase
Verb
  • In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is also gaining ground and wants to abolish the license fee that finances public broadcasters ARD and ZDF.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Although California had technically abolished slavery in its 1849 constitution, no legal authority troubled Smith about his human property.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of abolish
Verb
  • Rather than undertaking the difficult but just and moral work of reform of the nation's immigration laws, Vance would destroy and expel their families with a smile, claiming that such actions will save you money.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Running low on fuel, NASA chose to steer Cassini straight into Saturn's atmosphere, where the spacecraft was destroyed.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of destroy

Browse Nearby Words

obliquity
obliterate
obliterated
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Cite this Entry

“Obliterate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliterate. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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