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

One thing that’s civically dangerous is the annihilation of those boundaries. —Stuart Miller, Orange County Register, 3 Feb. 2025

For Native Americans, a historical wealth gap can be traced to a near annihilation of the population and mass displacement in the 19th and 20th centuries. —Amy Maxmen | Kff Health News, ABC News, 18 Jan. 2025

Kansas After losing its first conference opener in 34 years on Tuesday, Kansas made some history with a 99-48 annihilation of UCF on Sunday. —Cj Moore, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025

For the past two years the setting has been 90 seconds to midnight, with midnight meaning the theoretical annihilation of humanity, by design or by mistake. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing annihilation

• self-annihilation