# annihilation

/əˌnaɪəˈɫeɪʃən/ (US) · /ɐnˌaɪəlˈeɪʃən/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/annihilation
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

the total destruction of something so that nothing is left. In science, it happens when two tiny pieces of matter hit each other and turn into energy.

For teachers: the complete destruction or obliteration of an object or entity. In particle physics, refers to the conversion of matter into energy when a particle and its corresponding antiparticle collide.

## Examples

- The forest fire led to the total annihilation of the local habitat.
- During the war, both sides feared that the use of nuclear weapons would lead to mutual annihilation.
- In high-energy physics, the annihilation of an electron and a positron results in the emission of two gamma-ray photons, demonstrating the equivalence of mass and energy.

## Usage notes

- Often used in the abstract sense of total defeat or destruction; frequently paired with 'mutual' or 'total'.

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