Obliterated: meaning, definitions and examples

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obliterated

 

[ əˈblɪt.ə.reɪtɪd ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

destroy completely

Obliterated means to remove all trace of something, often resulting in total destruction. It can refer to physical objects being destroyed or to the erasure of memories or concepts.

Synonyms

annihilated, destroyed, erased, wiped out

Examples of usage

  • The city was obliterated by the earthquake.
  • He obliterated all evidence of his wrongdoing.
  • The fire obliterated the entire building.
  • Her memories of that day were obliterated after the accident.

Translations

Translations of the word "obliterated" in other languages:

🇵🇹 obliterado

🇮🇳 नष्ट किया हुआ

🇩🇪 ausgelöscht

🇮🇩 dihapus

🇺🇦 знищений

🇵🇱 zatarte

🇯🇵 消去された

🇫🇷 oblitéré

🇪🇸 obliterado

🇹🇷 silinmiş

🇰🇷 삭제된

🇸🇦 مُحَطَّم

🇨🇿 vymazaný

🇸🇰 vymazaný

🇨🇳 被抹去的

🇸🇮 izginjen

🇮🇸 útrýmt

🇰🇿 жойылған

🇬🇪 წაშლილი

🇦🇿 silinmiş

🇲🇽 obliterado

Etymology

The term 'obliterate' comes from the Latin word 'obliterare,' which is a combination of 'ob-' meaning 'over' and 'literare' meaning 'to erase.' The earliest known use of 'obliterate' in English dates back to the late 15th century. Initially, it was used in a literal sense to mean to wipe out or erase something, often referring to physical marks or writings. Over time, the meaning expanded to encompass more abstract concepts, including erasing memories or completely destroying ideas and objects. The evolution of the term reflects a growing language association with total destruction and thoroughness in erasing or eliminating traces of something, making it a powerful term in both literary and everyday contexts.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #13,086, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.