noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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rhymes with -eɪʃən
Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH0 B L IH2 T ER0 EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The total destruction of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The concealing or covering of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The cancellation, erasure or deletion of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The cancellation of the function, structure, or both of a vessel or organ; for example, the occlusion of the lumen of a duct, blood vessel, or lymphatic vessel, be it solely functional (as when squeezed by nearby mass effect or inflammation) or both structural and functional (as when clogged with thrombus, embolus, or fibrosis).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
destruction by annihilating something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
the complete destruction of every trace of something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: eradication
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: destruction, demolition, wipeout
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English obliterate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English obliteration From obliterate + -ion.
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
знішчэ́нне
(zniščénnje)
— the total destruction of something
Bulgarian:
унищоже́ние
(uništožénie)
— the total destruction of something
Catalan:
obliteració
— the total destruction of something
Czech:
zničení
— the total destruction of something
Finnish:
hävittäminen
— the total destruction of something
Finnish:
tuhoaminen
— the total destruction of something
German:
Zerstörung
— the total destruction of something
Macedonian:
уништување
(uništuvanje)
— the total destruction of something
Polish:
zniszczenie
— the total destruction of something
Portuguese:
obliteração
— the total destruction of something
Russian:
уничтоже́ние
(uničtožénije)
— the total destruction of something
Slovak:
zničenie
— the total destruction of something
Spanish:
obliteración
— the total destruction of something
Ottoman Turkish:
افنا
(ifna)
— the total destruction of something
Ukrainian:
зни́щення
(znýščennja)
— the total destruction of something
Bulgarian:
заче́ркване
(začérkvane)
— the cancellation, erasure or deletion of something
Bulgarian:
излича́ване
(izličávane)
— the cancellation, erasure or deletion of something
Catalan:
obliteració
— the cancellation, erasure or deletion of something
Finnish:
tuhoaminen
— the cancellation, erasure or deletion of something
German:
Vernichtung
— the cancellation, erasure or deletion of something
German:
Auslöschung
— the cancellation, erasure or deletion of something
Spanish:
obliteración
— the cancellation, erasure or deletion of something