obliterated
B2Formal, but also used informally in contexts of intoxication.
Definition
Meaning
To destroy completely, leaving no trace; to wipe out.
To defeat utterly; to erase or cancel out, as from memory or a surface; to be so intoxicated as to lose awareness.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word implies totality and irreversibility. It can be applied to physical objects, abstract concepts (e.g., memories, evidence), and in informal slang, to a state of consciousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in formal meaning. The slang use for extreme intoxication is more common in American English.
Connotations
Strongly negative in formal contexts (complete annihilation). Neutral or humorously negative in slang (very drunk).
Frequency
More frequent in formal written contexts (news, reports, academic writing) in both variants. The slang use is informal and conversational.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] obliterate [Object] (from [Source])[Object] be obliterated (by [Agent])Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not a prolific idiom source; often used literally]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically for market dominance: 'The new startup obliterated its competitors.'
Academic
Used in history, military studies, ecology: 'The plague obliterated a third of the population.'
Everyday
Used for erasing mistakes or in slang: 'I obliterated that stain.' / 'He was absolutely obliterated at the party.'
Technical
Used in computing (data deletion), medicine (tissue destruction), geology (erosion).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The bombing raid obliterated the entire village.
- He used a special solvent to obliterate the graffiti from the wall.
American English
- The hurricane obliterated the coastal community.
- She obliterated all her old emails from the server.
adverb
British English
- The text was obliteratedly scraped from the parchment. [Rare/Unnatural]
- N/A
American English
- N/A
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The landscape was one of obliterated buildings and rubble.
- He had an obliterated memory of the accident.
American English
- They surveyed the obliterated town from the air.
- The document was just an obliterated scrap of paper.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He obliterated his drawing by mistake.
- The heavy rain obliterated the footprints.
- The explosion obliterated the old factory.
- She tried to obliterate the bad memory.
- The new policy effectively obliterated any chance of a quick agreement.
- Modern buildings have obliterated much of the city's historical character.
- The author's detailed critique obliterated the opponent's argument.
- Centuries of erosion had nearly obliterated the ancient inscriptions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LITER (a metric unit) being OBLITERated – imagine spilling a liter of ink that completely OBLITERates the writing on a page.
Conceptual Metaphor
EXISTENCE IS PRESENCE; DESTRUCTION IS ERASURE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'стерт' (merely wiped/erased) – 'obliterated' implies total removal. Not directly equivalent to 'уничтожен' in all contexts (e.g., slang).
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'obliterate' (verb base form). Incorrect: 'The city was obliterate.' Correct: 'The city was obliterated.'
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'obliterated' used in its informal, slang sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but carefully. It can mean to kill/destroy people (formal: 'The army was obliterated.') or, informally, to describe someone as extremely intoxicated ('He was obliterated at the club.').
'Obliterated' is stronger. Something destroyed might be ruined but recognizable. Something obliterated is gone without a trace.
In its core meaning, yes. In informal slang ('obliterated drunk'), it can be used humorously, but still describes a loss of control.
Yes, in a metaphorical sense to describe total market dominance or outcompeting rivals ('Our new product obliterated the competition'). It adds dramatic emphasis.