pulverises

Reduces to dust

Pulverises is the British spelling of pulverizes—to reduce something to powder or dust by crushing, grinding, or pounding: The machine pulverises rock into fine gravel.

Figuratively, to pulverise is to defeat utterly or destroy: The home team pulverised the visitors 45–3.

defeat

destroys

Causes complete ruin

annihilatesDestroys utterly and completely
devastatesDestroys thoroughly and completely
thrashesBeats severely or defeats

trounces · demolishes · obliterates · crushes · overwhelms · dominates · routs · decimates · humiliates · vanquishes

physical

crushes

Compresses with force

grindsReduces by friction
smashesBreaks forcefully apart
poundsMass measurement units

mills · crumbles · shatters · demolishes · granulates · fragments · disintegrates · powders · mashes · breaks

culinary

grinds

Reduces by friction

blendsCombined into unity
millsFactories or grinders
processesSeries of actions

mashes · minces · purees · crushes · powders · granulates · pestle · mortar · spices · peppercorns

Opposites

physical integrity

pulverisespreserves

Cooked fruit in sugar

maintains · protects · solidifies · consolidates · fortifies

force and manner of handling

pulverisescaresses

Touches gently with love

strokes · coddles · cushions · cradles · buffers

particle size transformation

pulverisesaggregates

Collects into totals

compacts · compresses · conglomerates · clumps · coalesces

Family

pulverise, pulverised, pulverising, pulveriser, pulverisation

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG