Obliterated
/əˈblɪtəˌreɪtɪd/
verbC2past tense
Definition
To obliterate something means to destroy it fully or erase it so that it is gone without a trace. It can be used for physical things like buildings or abstract things like memories or evidence. The idea is that nothing is left behind after obliteration.
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See It in Action
Completely destroyed or wiped out physically
- •The old building was obliterated by the fire.
- •The earthquake obliterated the small village.
- •The bomb obliterated everything in the area.
Completely removed or erased from memory or record
- •His painful memories were obliterated by time.
- •The evidence was obliterated to hide the truth.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "obliterated" like "destroyed" (A2 word), but much stronger—everything is gone, nothing left
- ✓Picture a sandcastle washed away by a big wave, leaving no sand shape behind at all
- ✓It's the feeling when you lose something completely, like a very bad memory disappearing from your mind
- ✓Sounds like "uh-BLIT-uh-ray-tid" → imagine a big blast that makes things vanish like a magic eraser
- ✓Think of stories where a city is wiped out by a huge storm or explosion—nothing remains standing
- ✓NOT like "broken" (which means damaged but still there), "obliterated" means totally gone
- ✓NOT like "removed" (which can mean taken away carefully), "obliterated" is violent and complete destruction
- ✓NOT like "erased" (usually for writing or marks), "obliterated" can be for physical things or ideas destroyed fully
Try Other Words
- •Destroyed: completely broken or ruined (Use when emphasizing damage but not total disappearance)
- •Erased: removed or wiped out (Use for marks, memories, or information rather than physical objects)
- •Wiped out: removed completely (Use in casual speech for total destruction or removal)
- •Annihilated: completely destroyed in a violent way (Use in very strong or formal contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "ob-" (against, completely) + root "literate" (related to letters or writing, from Latin "oblitterare" meaning to erase letters) + suffix "-ed" (past tense)
- •Etymology: From Latin "oblitterare" meaning to erase writing, later used for complete destruction
- •Historical development: Originally used for erasing writing or marks, now used for total destruction of objects or ideas
- •Modern usage: Used to describe total destruction or removal, often in strong or dramatic contexts
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be obliterated but still remembered by people? How?
•What kinds of things in your life would you never want to be obliterated, and why?
Fill in the blanks
1.The hurricane obliterated the town, leaving ___ buildings and ___ people homeless.
2.When evidence is obliterated, it becomes ___ to find any proof of what happened.
3.Unlike a broken window, an obliterated house is ___ standing or usable.
4.The memory of that day was so painful it felt like it had been obliterated from ___.
5.They tried to obliterate the old documents, but some pages were ___ hidden.
6.The city was obliterated ___ a huge explosion during the war.
7.After the fire, the forest was obliterated, with ___ trees and ___ animals left.