Synonyms for

Annihilation

Verb / ʌˌnaɪʌˈleɪʃʌn / Another word for annihilation — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

The act of completely destroying or defeating someone or something.

Synonyms & similar words

disintegration obliteration destruction obliteration eradication extermination extinction demolition elimination erasure vanishing liquidation eradication consumption decimation devastation ruination undoing extirpation annulment abolition

Synonyms by register

Formal

destruction extermination obliteration devastation

Informal

wrecking smashing trashing wiping out

Literary

ruin desolation decimation

Antonyms

creation construction building establishment preservation birth generation

Common collocations

  • complete annihilation
  • total annihilation
  • annihilation of the enemy
  • annihilation of a species
  • nuclear annihilation
  • mutual annihilation
  • annihilation of hope

Word family

noun annihilation
verb annihilate
adjective annihilating
adverb annihilatingly

Usage note

Annihilation implies complete destruction, often to the point of non-existence. It is a strong word typically used in contexts of war, natural disasters, or existential threats.

Example sentences

  1. The nuclear bomb caused the annihilation of the city.
  2. The army was able to achieve the annihilation of the enemy.
  3. The extinction of the dinosaurs was an annihilation of the species.
  4. The complete annihilation of the virus was necessary for public health.
  5. The annihilation of the team's hopes was caused by their loss.

Quotes

  • 'The annihilation of the world is no more a termination or a night than its creation was a beginning or a dawn.' - Roberto Calasso
  • 'In the end, all life becomes one. The annihilation of caste, the slow seep of tribal memory, the merging of codes, the steady dissonance of Holy Writ into folklore, into wisdom, into poetry.' - Salman Rushdie
  • 'The annihilation of the self is no escape from the self.' - Mahatma Gandhi

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