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
Relevance
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
The cataclysmic eruption of Mount Vesuvius obliterated Pompeii in 79 CE, but the Roman city didn’t remain a lifeless disaster zone for long.
—
Andrew Paul Aug 7, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
However, much of the legislation written in the decades after their arrival tells us there remained slim-chances, skin of the teeth opportunities, and loopholes to freedom and fellowship that had yet to be eradicated, obliterated, sealed-off.
—Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
The same ash trees being obliterated by invasive emerald ash borers across the country.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Shkolnik took a more negative view of how the changes will affect ADU development, saying the council went beyond adding guardrails and essentially obliterated the incentive.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for obliterate
Andrew Paul Aug 7, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025
However, much of the legislation written in the decades after their arrival tells us there remained slim-chances, skin of the teeth opportunities, and loopholes to freedom and fellowship that had yet to be eradicated, obliterated, sealed-off.
—Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
The same ash trees being obliterated by invasive emerald ash borers across the country.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Shkolnik took a more negative view of how the changes will affect ADU development, saying the council went beyond adding guardrails and essentially obliterated the incentive.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for obliterate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliterate
Verb
-
The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.—
Peter Aitken
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Its nuclear infrastructure is wrecked but by no means wholly eradicated.—
Suzanne Maloney,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The move to erase the sometimes ugly truth about this country’s history?—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
19 Aug. 2025
-
This practice of reframing doesn’t erase the problem, sure.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But abolishing a property tax would fully freeze younger and lower-income folks out of the housing market because, in part, higher property taxes often lead to lower home prices, which reduces the down payment required for a homebuyer seeking a mortgage.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Aug. 2025
-
One way not to do that—to take yet another example from this Administration—would be to end the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, which started during President Barack Obama’s second term and came to a close in March, when the U.S.D.A. abolished it.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Protective sand dunes could be inundated and destroyed, which could lead to severe flooding inland, National Park Service officials at Cape Hatteras National Seashore warned Monday.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Large dangerous waves will likely inundate and destroy protective dune structures.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obliterate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliterate. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share