ANNIHILATE Synonyms: 244 Similar and Opposite Words

annihilate

verb

ə-ˈnī-ə-ˌlāt

Definition of annihilate

as in to eradicate

to destroy all traces of the family's attempts to annihilate the roach population in their apartment had met with little success

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to destroy

to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of the tornado simply annihilated the family's home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to overcome

to defeat by a large margin we didn't just win; we absolutely annihilated them!

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 annihilate Part woozy fever dream, part vicious action picture, the movie pivots on a prescient and horrifying warning about the ease with which humanity might annihilate itself. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026 Here, too, a face is lost in another body—though this time the self is annihilated by desire rather than grief. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 The matter and antimatter annihilate each other, creating other particles, including bundles of quarks. — Matt Von Hippel, Quanta Magazine, 29 July 2026 But they were annihilated 140-89, in the playoff elimination loss. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for annihilate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for annihilate

Verb

Scientists have been fighting a losing battle to eradicate them from sensitive ecosystems in South Florida.

— Alex Harris August 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
How to Get Rid of Bermuda Grass Bermuda grass can take years to eradicate once it’s established, says Rossi.

— SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of eradicate

Verb

Almost 50 homes and other structures have been destroyed so far; there have been several injuries, and one of Tibbetts’s neighbors lost 20 German shepherds.

— Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
The flood then destroyed roads and knocked out power and phone networks, leaving families unable to establish even the most basic facts.

— Laura Saravia, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

The Tar Heels’ ability to overcome some sloppiness — and, yes, take advantage of a slew of TCU mistakes — was a positive intangible sign after Belichick’s brutal debut season and offseason.

— Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
But to overcome 30 years of Republican dominance, Talarico needs votes from everywhere.

— Eleanor Dearman Updated August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of overcome

Verb

But Bama followed with a 38-3 quarterfinal flop to Indiana, erasing any momentum and placing DeBoer squarely under the microscope entering a pivotal third season.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
The 68-year-old also lost her husband and her son, who worked at a local hydropower plant, in the flash floods that hit the region on Wednesday, erasing entire communities.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of erase

Verb

Later demolished, the home sat directly across the street from a far more modern residence by a designer with ties to the Tao restaurant chain and the Venetian Las Vegas.

— Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026
That then will allow the existing Willowcreek Middle School to be demolished.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of demolish

Verb

Back in 2015, Parton and her team buried a chestnut box filled with physical copies of a brand new song in two formats, cassette and CD, along with their corresponding players, under her Dollywood DreamMore Resort and Spa.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Prior research had shown that cotton strips could also be used to assess decomposition, so why not engage in a bit of citizen science and ask volunteers to bury cotton underpants for a couple of months, then dig them up and record the results?

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of bury

Verb

While his party debates abolishing prisons and owning grocery stores, Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie is cleaning up his city.

— Kate Andrews, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
Alabama has since abolished judicial override, the practice that allowed judges to order the state to kill a person even though a jury of one’s peers requested otherwise.

— Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of abolish

Browse Nearby Words

annexing

annihilate

annihilated

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“Annihilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/annihilate. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of annihilate

verb

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