Here are some synonyms of the word "annihilate" along with their characteristics and examples:
1. Destroy
"Destroy" is a very common synonym for "annihilate." It means to cause the complete ruin or cessation of existence of something. For example, "The powerful earthquake destroyed the entire village." While "annihilate" often implies a more total and perhaps more violent obliteration, "destroy" can cover a wide range of contexts where something is made non - functional or ceases to exist in its original form. It can refer to physical objects, like buildings or machinery, as well as more abstract things such as relationships or plans.
2. Obliterate
"Obliterate" means to wipe out or remove all signs of something completely. For example, "The nuclear bomb had the power to obliterate the city." This word emphasizes a more thorough and often more extreme form of destruction than just "destroy." When you obliterate something, it's as if it has been completely erased from existence, leaving little or no trace behind. It has a sense of finality and totality that is very similar to the meaning of "annihilate."
3. Eradicate
"Eradicate" means to get rid of something completely, especially something harmful or unwanted. For example, "The government's aim was to eradicate poverty in the country." It is often used in the context of eliminating a problem, a disease, or a social evil. In comparison to "annihilate," "eradicate" may focus more on the elimination of a specific target, such as a particular phenomenon or group of things, rather than a more general destruction. But it still implies a thorough and complete removal.
4. Exterminate
"Exterminate" means to kill off or destroy completely, usually in the context of living things. For example, "The pest control team was hired to exterminate the rats in the building." It has a more specific connotation of eliminating a species or a group of organisms. While "annihilate" can refer to a wide range of entities, "exterminate" is mainly used when referring to the destruction of living creatures, such as pests, vermin, or even in a more extreme context, an entire population.
5. Wipe out
"Wipe out" is an idiomatic phrase that means to eliminate or destroy completely. For example, "The flood wiped out the small community." It has a sense of sudden and complete destruction, similar to "annihilate." The phrase gives the image of something being erased or removed as if with a single stroke, leaving nothing behind. It's a more casual - sounding expression than some of the other synonyms but still conveys a powerful sense of destruction.