pulverize

[ puhl-vuh-rahyz ]

verb (used with object)

, pul·ver·ized, pul·ver·iz·ing.

1. to reduce to dust or powder, as by pounding or grinding.
2. to demolish or crush completely.
3. Slang. to defeat, hurt badly, or, figuratively, render helpless:

   The Kid pulverized Jackson with a series of brutal lefts. He's a veteran nightclub comic who can pulverize any audience in seconds.

verb (used without object)

, pul·ver·ized, pul·ver·iz·ing.

1. to become reduced to dust.

pulverize

/ ˈpʌlvəˌraɪz /

verb

1. to reduce (a substance) to fine particles, as by crushing or grinding, or (of a substance) to be so reduced
2. tr to destroy completely; defeat or injure seriously

Derived Forms

• ˈpulverˌizer, noun
• ˌpulveriˈzation, noun
• ˈpulverˌizable, adjective

Other Words From

• pulver·iza·ble adjective
• pulver·i·zation noun
• pulver·izer noun
• sub·pulver·izer noun
• un·pulver·ized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulverize¹

1575–85; < Late Latin pulverizāre to reduce to powder, equivalent to Latin pulver- (stem of pulvis; akin to pollen ) dust + -izāre -ize

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulverize¹

C16: from Late Latin pulverizare or French pulvériser, from Latin pulverum, from pulvis dust

Example Sentences

Then they used a grinder to pulverize the frozen sweets into a coarse powder.

From Los Angeles Times

Do not pulverize in a machine, just chop fine, then mix with crumbs and coconut in a bowl and set aside.

From Salon

The Russian leader then went on to pulverize Chechen cities and villages with Russian bomb attacks, just as he is now doing to Ukraine.

From Seattle Times

"Porous glass is incredibly useful as either a filter for removing impurities or an insulator for buildings. Also, it can be recycled into new porous glass more or less indefinitely. The problem is that making it takes a lot of energy -- both to pulverize waste glass and to heat water to very high temperatures. There's a striking trade-off between costs now and gains in the future."

From Science Daily

Why do pebbles pulverize after they leave the comet?

From Science Daily

Related Words

• annihilate
• decimate
• demolish
• flatten
• shatter
• vanquish
• vaporize