self-annihilation

noun

self-an·​ni·​hi·​la·​tion ˌself-ə-ˌnī-ə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce self-annihilation (audio)
: annihilation of the self (as in mystical contemplation of God)

Examples of self-annihilation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The Doomsday Clock is a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which has maintained the clock since 1947. Doyle Rice, The Courier-Journal, 23 Jan. 2024 These stellar objects, called dark stars, might have been fueled not by nuclear fusion but by the self-annihilation of dark matter—the invisible stuff that is thought to make up about 85 percent of the matter in the universe. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 20 July 2023 With this set-up, audiences are primed to delight in the self-annihilation of the wealthy and privileged. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Apr. 2024 It’s become so personal to me to be able to just be proud of myself for not having succeeded in my own self-annihilation. Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024 This is the closest the symbolic clock has ever been to midnight, a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation, according to the Bulletin, which has maintained the clock since 1947. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024 The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock: a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which has maintained the clock since 1947. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-annihilation was in 1641

Dictionary Entries Near self-annihilation

Cite this Entry

“Self-annihilation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-annihilation. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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