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
Charles KrauthammerFor 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
Katie Roiphe… few experts believe that either regime would risk annihilation by actually launching a nuke in anger.—Michael Elliott
Michael ElliottThe Cretaceous Extinction, whatever its cause, was one of the two most awesome annihilations of life in the history of the world.—John McPhee
John McPhee2
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
Harding E. SmithThe 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
George GreensteinExamples of annihilation in a Sentence
idealists who seek the annihilation of all forms of prejudice
Recent Examples on the Web
From Mesopotamian mythologies to Y2K narratives and beyond, people have long been telling tales about the end—floods, comets, plagues, and now nuclear annihilation, rogue A.I., and, yes, more plagues.
—Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
New Orleans is looking for a way to redeem itself after broadcasting the most shameful offensive display of the 2024 NFL season, becoming the only team in the year to post a donut in its 34-0 annihilation to the Green Bay Packers, who clinched their ticket to the playoffs.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
At some critical temperature, the annihilation of dark matter particles effectively stopped, leaving a residual abundance of dark matter particles that persists to this day.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
One thing that’s civically dangerous is the annihilation of those boundaries.
—Stuart Miller, Orange County Register, 3 Feb. 2025
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Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2025
New Orleans is looking for a way to redeem itself after broadcasting the most shameful offensive display of the 2024 NFL season, becoming the only team in the year to post a donut in its 34-0 annihilation to the Green Bay Packers, who clinched their ticket to the playoffs.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024
At some critical temperature, the annihilation of dark matter particles effectively stopped, leaving a residual abundance of dark matter particles that persists to this day.
—Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
One thing that’s civically dangerous is the annihilation of those boundaries.
—Stuart Miller, Orange County Register, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annihilation
Articles Related to annihilation
Cite this Entry
“Annihilation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annihilation. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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