obliterate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈblɪtəˌreɪt/ UK /əˈblɪtəreɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to destroy utterly or wipe out all trace of

The flood obliterated every landmark in the valley.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to destroy utterly or wipe... destroy annihilate eradicate erase efface expunge extirpate

Opposites

create preserve restore build establish

Word family

Derived forms obliterationobliterator

Related forms literal letter

Etymology

From Latin obliteratus, past participle of obliterare ('to blot out, erase'), from ob- plus the phrase littera ('letter'), literally 'to strike out letters'.

obliterare Latin littera Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# obliterate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈblɪtəˌreɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈblɪtəreɪt/

## Meanings
1. to destroy utterly or wipe out all trace of

## Examples
- The flood obliterated every landmark in the valley.

## Synonyms
- destroy
- annihilate
- eradicate
- erase
- efface
- expunge
- extirpate

## Antonyms
- create
- preserve
- restore
- build
- establish

## Derived Forms
- obliteration
- obliterator

## Related Forms
- literal
- letter

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: obliterare
- Root: littera

## Etymology
From Latin obliteratus, past participle of obliterare ('to blot out, erase'), from ob- plus the phrase littera ('letter'), literally 'to strike out letters'.

## AI Etymology
Obliterate is from Latin obliteratus, past participle of obliterare ('to blot out, erase'), from ob- plus the phrase littera ('letter'), literally 'to strike out letters'. Important recorded forms include obliterare (Latin) and littera (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to destroy utterly or wipe out all trace of. The wider family includes derived forms such as obliteration and obliterator and related words such as literal and letter.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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