Annihilated means completely destroyed or wiped out. In verb form, it describes an action that eliminates something to the point of total defeat or erasure. The word carries strong connotations of total destruction and thoroughness, often used in dramatic or hyperbolic contexts.
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"The town was annihilated by the blitz, leaving nothing standing."
"Researchers feared the disease would be annihilated by the new vaccine, wiping it from the region."
"The rival team annihilated us in the finals with an undefeated score."
"The old records were annihilated when the archive building burned to the ground."
Annihilate comes from the Latin annihilare, from ad- ‘to’ + nihil (from nihilus) ‘nothing,’ ultimately linked to nihil meaning ‘nothing.’ The term entered English via French and Latin influences, with early uses in legal and mathematical contexts to denote making something void or zero. By the 19th century, annihilate broadened to general destruction, often in military or catastrophic descriptions. The core sense shift revolves around transforming something substantial into nothingness, and the word is now common in both formal prose and vivid colloquial speech. The root nihil is seen in nihilism; annihilate emphasizes complete negation. You’ll often encounter it in phrases like “annihilated the opposition” or “annihilated the competition,” highlighting absolute, thorough elimination. The word’s intensity remains stable across eras, though modern usage frequently conveys hyperbole beyond literal destruction. First known use in print traces to the 17th century, evolving steadily as science, war rhetoric, and dramatic writing adopted it for emphatic effect.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "annihilated" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "annihilated" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "annihilated"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronunciation: /əˈnaɪ.ɪˌleɪ.tɪd/ in US, /əˈnaɪ.ɪ.leɪ.tɪd/ in UK, similar /əˈnaɪ.ɪ.leɪ.tɪd/ in Australian. Primary stress on the second syllable NI, with a secondary stress on the fourth syllable LAY in many fast pronunciations. Start with a schwa, then NAHY (like “nigh”) + il + ay + ted. Final -ed is typically /ɪd/. Audio references you can check: pronounce-dictionary resources and major dictionary entries provide native speaker audio. Practice by isolating /ˈnaɪ.ə/ or /ˈnaɪ.i/ sequences, then connect to the -leɪ.tɪd ending.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the middle vowel cluster: say /əˈnaɪ.ɪˌleɪ.tɪd/ instead of /əˈnaɪ.əˌleɪ.tɪd/. 2) Misplacing primary stress, stressing the wrong syllable. 3) Flattening the /æ/ sound in the middle; keep /ɪ/ or /ɪː/ in the sequence. Corrections: insert the light /ə/ before NAHY- sound, maintain distinct /ɪ/ in -li- and a crisp -ted ending with /tɪd/ or /təd/ depending on pace. Practice with slow tempo then speed up, focusing on the /ˈnaɪ.ɪ/ diphthong and the /leɪ/ sequence.
Across accents, the main difference is vowel quality and rhoticity. US English typically has a rhotic approach, with clear /r/ in “-ered” parts? Actually annihilated ends with -ated; the US may merge /ɪ/ with a slight schwa; UK often uses a more pronounced /ə/ before -li- and a shorter /ɪ/ in -tɪd; Australian tends to flatter vowels, with a slightly longer /ɪ/ and non-rhotic tendencies affecting surrounding vowels. The primary stress remains on NI, but the transition between syllables can feel smoother in non-rhotic accents. Use accurate IPA references: US /əˈnaɪ.ɪˌleɪ.tɪd/, UK /əˈnaɪ.ɪ.leɪ.tɪd/, AU similar to UK but with flatter vowels and less rhoticity in connected speech.
Three key challenges: 1) The sequence /ˈnaɪ.ɪ/ has a cliff between two short vowels; keep a light glide and avoid inserting extra consonants. 2) The /ˌleɪ/ cluster followed by /tɪd/ requires crisp /l/ and a clear /eɪ/ before the /tɪd/ ending. 3) Final /tɪd/ can blur in rapid speech; practice the final /d/ cue separately. Focused practice on stress, timing, and the /ɪ/ vs /iː/ distinction helps reduce slurring. You’ll want to reinforce the entire rhythm with shadowing from native clips.
A unique angle: the sequence has a strong stress on the second syllable, with a mid-word break before -liated. Emphasize the /æ/ presence? Actually there is no /æ/. The correct approach is to practice the syllable chain: /əˈnaɪ.ɪˌleɪ.tɪd/. You can benefit from analyzing the mouth shapes for /aɪ/ and /eɪ/, ensuring a gentle transition rather than a tight jaw. Also practice with minimal pairs: live/leave, naive/nailed to feel the subtle vowel shifts. This helps with the natural, precise articulation.
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