annihilation

noun

an·​ni·​hi·​la·​tion ə-ˌnī-ə-ˈlā-shən 

plural annihilations

1

: the state or fact of being completely destroyed or obliterated : the act of annihilating something or the state of being annihilated

The late 1940s and '50s were so pervaded by a general fear of nuclear annihilation that the era was known as the Age of Anxiety.

—Charles Krauthammer

For a literary culture that fears it is on the brink of total annihilation, we are awfully cavalier about the Great Male Novelists of the last century.

—Katie Roiphe

… few experts believe that either regime would risk annihilation by actually launching a nuke in anger.

—Michael Elliott

The Cretaceous Extinction, whatever its cause, was one of the two most awesome annihilations of life in the history of the world.

—John McPhee

2

physics : the combination of a particle and its antiparticle (such as an electron and a positron) that results in the subsequent total conversion of the particles into energy

Both the creation and annihilation of antimatter have been observed in nuclear accelerators (atom-smashers).

—Harding E. Smith

The annihilation reactions are the most efficient sources of energy known, for in them the entire mass of both particles is converted into pure energy.

—George Greenstein

Synonyms

• decimation
• demolishment
• demolition
• desolation
• destruction
• devastation
• extermination
• extinction
• havoc
• loss
• mincemeat
• obliteration
• ruin
• ruination
• wastage
• wreckage

Examples of annihilation in a Sentence

idealists who seek the annihilation of all forms of prejudice

Recent Examples on the Web

Under this theory, dark matter particles had such weak interactions with normal matter that their annihilation was extremely rare. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

His journey began in elementary school during the Cold War, when schools implemented ‘duck and cover’ drills where teachers would signal students to hide under their desks, preparing them for the seemingly inevitable threat of nuclear annihilation at the time. —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024

Musicals are, in many cases, delusions, born in times of violence and annihilation. —Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024

Ultimately, modern audiences want competitive cricket rather than the complete annihilation the English have suffered at the hands of the Baggy Greens over the last four decades with the honourable exception of 2010. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing annihilation

• self-annihilation