obliterates
Wipes out entirely
Obliterates is the third-person singular of obliterate, meaning to destroy completely or wipe out of existence.
A bombing obliterates a village.
Time obliterates memories.
In less dramatic use, something obliterates another by covering or obscuring it entirely: Snow obliterated the trail markers.
The word suggests thoroughness—not just damage but erasure.
Tears down completely
- annihilatesDestroys utterly and completely
- decimatesDestroys most of
- pulverizesGrinds to fine particles
- devastatesDestroys thoroughly and completely
shatters · crushes · razes · wrecks · ruins · dismantles · disintegrates · smashes
Officially removes or erases
- deletesRemoves stored information
- effacesErases or removes completely
- removesTakes something out
- wipesRubs clean
scrubs · excises · purges · clears · eliminates · nullifies · abolishes · extirpates
Compresses with force
- trouncesDefeats overwhelmingly
- routsDecisive, overwhelming defeats
- dominatesExerts supreme control
- overwhelmsConquers by superior force
vanquishes · thrashes · steamrolls · clobbers · shellacs · humiliates · buries · slaughters
Removes sensitive content
- suppressesActively prevents expression
- sanitizesEliminates pathogens from surfaces
- expurgatesRemoves offensive content
- silencesStops from speaking
stifles · quashes · represses · conceals · withholds · blacks out · strikes · edits
Near-total destruction
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- destructionAct of completely ruining
ruination · collapse · cataclysm · apocalypse · holocaust · carnage · havoc · ravage
demolishes
Tears down completely
- annihilatesDestroys utterly and completely
- decimatesDestroys most of
- pulverizesGrinds to fine particles
devastates · shatters · crushes · razes · wrecks · ruins · dismantles · disintegrates · smashes · flattens
expunges
Officially removes or erases
wipes · scrubs · excises · purges · clears · eliminates · nullifies · abolishes · extirpates · blots
crushes
Compresses with force
overwhelms · vanquishes · thrashes · steamrolls · clobbers · shellacs · humiliates · buries · slaughters · massacres
redacts
Removes sensitive content
- suppressesActively prevents expression
- sanitizesEliminates pathogens from surfaces
- expurgatesRemoves offensive content
silences · stifles · quashes · represses · conceals · withholds · blacks out · strikes · edits · scrubs
decimation
Near-total destruction
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
destruction · ruination · collapse · cataclysm · apocalypse · holocaust · carnage · havoc · ravage · desolation
obliteratescreates
Brings into being
builds · constructs · generates · produces · establishes
obliteratespreserves
Cooked fruit in sugar
conserves · maintains · protects · safeguards · saves
obliteratesrestores
Returns to previous state
repairs · rebuilds · reconstructs · rehabilitates · renovates
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