SELF-ANNIHILATION Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

self-annihilation

noun

Definition of self-annihilation

as in self-immolation

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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 self-annihilation For the third-act interrogation scene of Longlegs, the horror-mystery’s occult obsessed serial killer (played by Nicolas Cage in heavy prosthetic makeup) punctuates his free-associative jailhouse ramblings with a stunning act of self-annihilation. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026 The will toward self-annihilation is a familiar human characteristic. — Henry Freedland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 And he is compelled by a righteous fury to warn others of his son’s dark path to self-annihilation. — Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025 The broken family exults in its own debasement just like the protesters and activist judges who pursue self-annihilation as liberation. — Armond White, National Review, 19 Mar. 2025 The clock, which is updated by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, is meant to be a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation. — Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025 The image becomes metabolized by the fungus in a process of self-annihilation and, like the memory itself, given a new kind of presence through its decay. — Mariana Fernández, ARTnews.com, 18 Dec. 2024 The Doomsday Clock is a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which has maintained the clock since 1947. — Doyle Rice, The Courier-Journal, 23 Jan. 2024 These stellar objects, called dark stars, might have been fueled not by nuclear fusion but by the self-annihilation of dark matter—the invisible stuff that is thought to make up about 85 percent of the matter in the universe. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 20 July 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-annihilation

Noun

YouTube was used to widely share videos, including the initial protests in Tunisia following the self-immolation of a fruit vendor.

— David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026
People in crisis incarcerated in Joliet have set over 60 fires since summer 2024, including eight cases of self-immolation and, after guards impeded access to lifesaving care, at least one death.

— Joan Steffen, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of self-immolation

Noun

The two questions the high court will examine include how the Employment Division‘s rule on a law’s neutrality should be applied and if the 10th Circuit should have used a different precedent as its guide, rather than the Employment Division.

— Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
As provost at Johns Hopkins, Jayawardhana co-signed a 2024 statement committing the university to restraint in taking public positions on social and political issues, a practice often called institutional neutrality.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of neutrality

Noun

Her lawyer Abbe Lowell last month said questions about the committee's fairness and objectivity would have to be addressed before the hearing could occur.

— Dan Mangan, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Mauricio Marcon, a lawmaker of Bolsonaro's Liberal Party, also questioned de Moraes' objectivity on Tuesday.

— MATTHEW LEE, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of objectivity

Noun

Some supporters performed self-flagellation on the streets, while others waved Iranian as well as red and black flags symbolizing mourning and revenge.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
In Baghdad, thousands marched through the streets, including some who slashed their heads with razors and performed other forms of self-flagellation in a show of grief to mark the occasion.

— Fadi Tawil, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Definition of self-flagellation

Noun

Happiness, altruism, optimism, social connection and a sense of belonging and purpose all have been linked with longevity in previous studies.

— Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
Doing so is not only a matter of altruism; the United States itself will have to grapple with migrants fleeing failing states, pandemics, and the dangers of climate change.

— Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of altruism

Noun

Yet Baier’s critics question his claim to impartiality—citing, beyond the network’s overall reputation, a few high-profile incidents.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
In this position, Parker maintained the state Senate’s official records with integrity and impartiality, according to her campaign website.

— Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of impartiality

Browse Nearby Words

self-analysis

self-annihilation

self-applauding

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“Self-annihilation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-annihilation. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of self-annihilation

noun

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