annihilated

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Wiped out completely, so that almost nothing remains.

   Grammar: Usually describes a thing or group after be or before a noun: the annihilated army.

   Patterns

   • be annihilated by something

   The annihilated fleet never returned from the battle.

   Whole villages were annihilated by the volcanic eruption.

   Scientists feared the species would be annihilated within a decade.

2. 2adjectiveafter a verbinformalfigurative

   Defeated very heavily in a contest or game.

   Grammar: Used mostly after be, feel or look, and often in casual speech to exaggerate a heavy loss.

   Patterns

   • get annihilated by someone

   Our team was annihilated 9-0 on Saturday.

   He felt annihilated after the debate, having no answer to any question.

   They got annihilated by the champions in the first round.

Common combinations

completely annihilated

The enemy fleet was completely annihilated.

totally annihilated

We were totally annihilated in the quiz.

annihilated by

The town was annihilated by the flood.

get annihilated

If we play that team, we will get annihilated.

utterly annihilated

Her argument utterly annihilated his case.

Synonyms and how they differ

destroyed

Destroyed is the general word, while annihilated means so thoroughly destroyed that nothing is left.

wiped out

Wiped out is informal and works for both real disasters and sports defeats.

obliterated

Obliterated stresses that all trace or mark of something was removed, such as writing or a building.

crushed

Crushed suggests a decisive defeat but not total disappearance.

Opposites

Word family

annihilate verb

to destroy completely

annihilation noun

complete destruction

annihilator noun

someone or something that destroys utterly

Commonly confused: annihilated or anhydrous?

Practice

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