Annihilated: meaning, definitions and examples

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annihilated

 

[ əˈnaɪəˌleɪtɪd ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

extreme destruction

To annihilate means to completely destroy or eliminate something so that it ceases to exist. In a more figurative sense, it can refer to a crushing defeat or overwhelming defeat in a competition or argument. The term is often used in contexts involving warfare, science, and competitive situations. When something is annihilated, there is often no trace left behind. It signifies the total eradication of an entity or concept, often evoking a sense of finality.

Synonyms

defeated, destroyed, erased, obliterated, vanquished

Examples of usage

  • The army was annihilated in the battle.
  • The comet is expected to annihilate the planet on impact.
  • The proposal was annihilated by the critics.
  • They felt annihilated by the constant criticism.

Translations

Translations of the word "annihilated" in other languages:

🇵🇹 aniquilado

🇮🇳 नाश किया गया

🇩🇪 ausgelöscht

🇮🇩 dihancurkan

🇺🇦 знищений

🇵🇱 zniszczony

🇯🇵 annihilated (アニヒレイテッド)

🇫🇷 anéanti

🇪🇸 aniquilado

🇹🇷 imha edilmiş

🇰🇷 소멸된

🇸🇦 مدمر

🇨🇿 zlikvidovaný

🇸🇰 zničený

🇨🇳 被消灭

🇸🇮 uničen

🇮🇸 eytt

🇰🇿 жойылған

🇬🇪 ნადგურება

🇦🇿 yox edilmiş

🇲🇽 aniquilado

Etymology

The word 'annihilate' originates from the Latin 'annihilare', which means 'to make nothing'. This Latin term is a combination of 'ad-' meaning 'to' and 'nihil' meaning 'nothing'. The concept of annihilation implies not just destruction but the reduction of something to a state of non-existence; it carries with it a sense of totality in the act of destruction. Annihilate began to appear in English during the late 16th century and has since developed a range of uses in both scientific and figurative language. In modern usage, it can refer to anything from the annihilation of molecules in physics to the metaphorical annihilation of someone's arguments in a debate.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,659, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.