Obliterate (Verb)
Meaning 1
Mark for deletion, rub off, or erase; "kill these lines in the President's speech".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The editor's job was to obliterate any lines from the manuscript that seemed too repetitive or cliché.
- Scientists are working to develop methods that can safely obliterate invasive species that are threatening native wildlife.
- The painter carefully attempted to obliterate the faint outlines of the previous design on the wall so she could start fresh.
- Before sharing the sensitive documents, the researcher had to obliterate any personal information mentioned within them.
- The team leader told the writer to obliterate the section of the report that was no longer relevant.
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Meaning 2
Remove completely from recognition or memory; "efface the memory of the time in the camps".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The village was bombed to oblivion, attempting to obliterate the rebel forces that had occupied it for years.
- Her past mistakes had almost succeeded in obliterating her confidence and self-esteem.
- The new government sought to obliterate the old regime's corrupt practices by implementing sweeping reforms.
- Researchers aimed to develop a vaccine that would obliterate the virus once and for all.
- Historians worked tirelessly to piece together the past, fighting to obliterate the gaps left by lost records.
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Meaning 3
Make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing; "a hidden message"; "a veiled threat".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The dense fog began to obliterate the horizon, erasing all signs of the landscape from view.
- The artist used thick brushstrokes of paint to obliterate the original message on the canvas.
- Years of erosion had begun to obliterate the ancient carvings on the stone walls.
- The sheer scale of the skyscraper seemed to obliterate the small buildings surrounding it.
- A veil of secrecy was cast to obliterate any details of the covert operation from the public.
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Meaning 4
Do away with completely, without leaving a trace.
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The new government vowed to obliterate the remnants of the corrupt regime that had ruled the country for decades.
- The advanced hackers managed to obliterate all digital records of the company's financial transactions.
- The intense flames engulfed the building, threatening to obliterate every shred of evidence at the crime scene.
- With the stroke of a pen, the treaty was signed, effectively obliterating centuries of animosity between the two nations.
- The use of powerful cleaning products was necessary to obliterate the stubborn graffiti that had been plaguing the city's streets.