Master confusing words with ease
Annihilate vs. Decimate
Annihilate
/əˈnaɪəleɪt/Examples:
The team annihilated their rivals in a stunning victory.The wildfire annihilated thousands of acres in mere hours.Researchers aim to annihilate the virus with a new vaccine.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Decimate
/ˈdesəmeɪt/Examples:
The drought will likely decimate the agricultural yields.Overfishing has significantly decimated the salmon population.A large scandal could decimate the company's reputation swiftly.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Decimate originally meant to kill one in every ten from a group as a form of punishment, while annihilate means to destroy completely.
- Annihilate comes from a root meaning nothing, so think of it as making something into nothing.
- Decimate is often used more casually than annihilate, which suggests total destruction in a more dramatic sense.
- Remember, decimate can imply partial destruction today, while annihilate is more about complete obliteration.
- Annihilate might be used in a context of absolute destruction, often in a violent or forceful manner.
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