What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
decimate
Example
The disease decimated the population of the small village. [decimated: past tense]
Example
The company's profits were decimated by the economic downturn. [decimate: verb]
annihilate
Example
The bomb annihilated the entire city, leaving nothing but rubble. [annihilated: past tense]
Example
The army was able to annihilate the enemy forces with their superior firepower. [annihilate: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Decimate is more commonly used than annihilate in everyday language. Decimate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while annihilate is less common and reserved for more extreme situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between decimate and annihilate?
Both decimate and annihilate are formal words, but annihilate is more intense and dramatic, making it more appropriate for formal writing or speech that requires a stronger emphasis on destruction or elimination.
