annihilatory

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

an•ni•hi•late /əˈnaɪəˌleɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to reduce to complete ruin or nonexistence; destroy completely:
   The mad scientist planned to annihilate the world.
2. to destroy the main part or body of:
   In the first days the fighters annihilated the enemy air force.
3. to defeat;
   vanquish:
   Our team was annihilated in the playoffs.

an•ni•hi•la•tion /əˌnaɪəˈleɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]
an•ni•hi•la•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

an•ni•hi•late  (ə nī′ə lāt′), v.t., -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 

1. to reduce to utter ruin or nonexistence; destroy utterly:
   The heavy bombing almost annihilated the city.
2. to destroy the collective existence or main body of;
   wipe out:
   to annihilate an army.
3. to annul;
   make void:
   to annihilate a law.
4. to cancel the effect of;
   nullify.
5. to defeat completely;
   vanquish:
   Our basketball team annihilated the visiting team.

• Late Latin annihilātus brought to nothing, annihilated (past participle of annihilāre) (Latin an- an-² + nihil nothing + -ātus -ate¹)
• Middle English adnichilat(e) destroyed 1350–1400

an•ni•hi•la•tive  (ə nī′ə lā′tiv, -ə lə-), an•ni•hi•la•to•ry  (ə nī′ə lə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē), adj.  Synonyms

• 1. ravage, devastate, desolate.
• 1, 2. smash, obliterate, demolish.