obliteration

American  

[uh-blit-uh-rey-shuhn] / əˌblɪt əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of obliterating or the state of being obliterated.

2. Pathology, Surgery. the removal of a part as a result of disease or surgery.

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Other Word Forms

• obliterative adjective

Etymology

Origin of obliteration

1650–60; < Latin oblitterātiōn- (stem of oblitterātiō ), equivalent to oblitterāt ( us ) ( obliterate ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

From obliteration to a viable threat in months.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

The New York Knicks snapped their four-game losing streak with a record-breaking 120-66 obliteration of the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, the most lopsided victory in franchise history.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

These newcomers, however, have no stake in the comradely game’s continuation, and are in fact dedicated to its obliteration: They want to take the game’s money away.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

The problem is that Ronan is also forging her compelling warts-and-all portrait of obliteration and recovery in another type of gale storm, that of undisciplined filmmaking at odds with the patient harvesting of characterization.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2024

Reston was once a country town, and its rural past still fights obliteration, like a nail that won’t stay hammered down.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston