What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
obliteration
Example
The hurricane caused the obliteration of the entire town. [obliteration: noun]
Example
The company decided to obliterate all records of the failed project. [obliterate: verb]
annihilation
Example
The nuclear bomb caused the annihilation of the entire city. [annihilation: noun]
Example
The disease threatened the annihilation of the entire population. [annihilation: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Obliteration is more commonly used than annihilation in everyday language. Obliteration is versatile and can be used in various contexts, while annihilation is less common and tends to be used in more extreme situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between obliteration and annihilation?
Both obliteration and annihilation are formal words and are typically used in serious or academic contexts.
