obliterated

[ uh-blit-uh-rey-tid ]

adjective

1. completely destroyed or done away with, so that little or no trace remains:

   I stood amid the rubble of obliterated buildings, where not even a feral cat was to be seen.

   Removing the brain tumor left him with an obliterated memory of the last 15 years.

2. blotted out completely so that it cannot be read or discerned:

   He was arrested for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of obliterate.

Other Words From

• half-ob·lit·er·at·ed adjective
• un·ob·lit·er·at·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of obliterated¹

First recorded in 1605–15; obliterate ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; obliterate ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Draper's frustration was demonstrated when he obliterated his racquet after going a break down in the first game of the decider.

From BBC

Each news organisation had their own building in the compound, she said, and the building housing the Al Mayadeen reporters was "obliterated" while al-Manar employees were inside.

From BBC

They insisted that the sheikh was not the target, noting that the house had been “obliterated”.

From BBC

But his legacy was obliterated after it was revealed that he supervised the reassignment of numerous priests who admitted to or were accused of molesting young children.

From Los Angeles Times

Central Park: This is what you’d get if you flattened Griffith Park, razed its observatory, shrunk its zoo, obliterated its golf courses and let the drum circle pound away all weekend.

From Los Angeles Times