annihilate
UK: əˈnaɪ.ə.leɪt | US: əˈnaɪ.ə.leɪt
vt. to destroy completely; reduce to nothing
vt. to defeat utterly; render insignificant
vt. (physics) to convert matter into energy, as in particle collisions
Derived from Latin "annihilare" (to reduce to nothing), combining "ad-" (intensifier) + "nihil" (nothing). The word entered Middle English via Late Latin, originally theological (referring to soul destruction). Later generalized to mean total physical or conceptual eradication. The physics sense emerged in the 20th century with particle-antiparticle annihilation.
The hurricane annihilated the coastal village.
Their team was annihilated in the finals with a score of 10-0.
Matter and antimatter annihilate upon contact, releasing energy.
The new evidence annihilated his argument completely.
Ancient texts warn of weapons that could annihilate civilizations.