annihilate

an·ni·hi·late (ə nī′ə lāt′)

transitive verb -·lat′ed, -·lat′·ing

to destroy completely; put out of existence; demolish an atomic bomb can annihilate a city
to consider or cause to be of no importance or without effect; nullify to annihilate another's ambition
to kill
to conquer decisively; crush

Etymology: < LL(Ec) annihilatus, pp. of annihilare, to bring to nothing < L ad, to + nihil, nothing

an·ni′·hi·la′·tion noun an·ni′·hi·la′·tive adjective an·ni′·hi·la′·tor noun

Subject

force: Had we not been easily annihilated by a force so inferior in numbers but vastly superior in jungle warfare.

Object

enemy: The operations are conducted, not to provide material for the German press, but to annihilate the enemy 's resistance.
people: With slogans of combating terrorism, the administration thrust the army into the furnace of a war to annihilate the Iraqi people.
opposition: It was Nelson's first demonstration that he would, given the chance, annihilate opposition rather than simply defeat it.
army: After storming Susa and almost annihilating a powerful army near Turin, he continued his march southward.
distance: We speak of aeroplanes at no more than the speed of sound as " annihilating distance " .

Preposition: at

step: They must be hounded and annihilated at every step, and all their measures frustrated.

Adjective complement

big: Cats download free pokemon game can't download free pokemon game annihilate big, strong young men.

Modifying Another Word

unnaturally: Such intentions are widely different from those which the profession had been led to expect and have not unnaturally annihilated its confidence.
practically: Wallace's spearmen were practically annihilated, leading to a re-establishment of Scottish control by Edward and his men.
utterly: Two hours later, King James IV of Scots and a majority of the leaders of our nation had been utterly annihilated.
virtually: Although virtually annihilated last century, the fur seal population has recovered steadily, and now numbers in excess of 50,000 individuals.
totally: Totally annihilated, I could not even gather my thoughts.
nearly: Sleeping sickness has, during the last four years, nearly annihilated this little community.

Used with why or when

Infinitive complement

produce: When protons are collided at high energies the valence quarks can be knocked beyond this radius and annihilate to produce new particles.

Preposition: in

war: It is the story of men and women around the world who resist being annihilated in this war.

Preposition: with

electron: Positrons ( the anti particle of electrons ) are fired into matter and annihilate with electrons.

Preposition: by

force: Had we not been easily annihilated by a force so inferior in numbers but vastly superior in jungle warfare.

Browse dictionary entries near annihilate