annihilation

noun

an·​ni·​hi·​la·​tion ə-ˌnī-ə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce annihilation (audio)
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

Examples of annihilation in a Sentence

idealists who seek the annihilation of all forms of prejudice
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Here, as across the French capital, fans had piled into bars and cafes, squeezed themselves onto beer-garden benches and crowded around televisions in their sitting rooms to witness Paris Saint-Germain’s historic 5-0 annihilation of Inter in the Champions League final. Tom Williams, New York Times, 2 June 2025 There’s even annihilation of the cryogenically frozen elites. Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025 The Entity has divided people and countries to a staggering degree and Ethan is pretty much the only chance of staving off global nuclear annihilation. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 May 2025 In the months since Ethan evaded capture in Austria at the end of the last movie, the Entity has expanded its power, building a fanatical cult, sparking global violence and inching toward the annihilation of humankind. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for annihilation

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of annihilation was circa 1526

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Cite this Entry

“Annihilation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annihilation. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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