obliterate

/əˈblɪtəreɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈblɪtəreɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈbli-tə-ˌrāt ō-/ (ame, mw)

obliterate — verb

1. to destroy, hide, or wear down something so thoroughly that no visible trace of

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to destroy, hide, or wear down something so thoroughly that no visible trace of it is left behind, whether by force, by covering, or by the slow effect of time.

例句

The earthquake obliterated three small villages along the coast of Honshu.

obliterate + [physical place] (force / destruction)

Heavy snow had obliterated the path leading up to the cabin.

obliterate by covering / concealing

同義詞
  • destroy

    more general; doesn't always mean every trace is gone

  • wipe out

    informal; often used for groups, populations, or scores

  • efface

    formal; usually for marks, writing, or memory

  • raze

    specifically for buildings or settlements flattened to the ground

反義詞
  • preserve

    to keep something in its original state

  • restore

    to bring something destroyed or faded back to its earlier form

文法句型

obliterate + noun

be obliterated by + agent

用法筆記

Frequently passive, with the agent introduced by 'by' (an event, weather, or weapon). Object is usually something that previously existed clearly — a town, a path, writing, or a mark — and the verb implies the result is total, not partial.

常見錯誤

❌The rain obliterated the windows a little.
✅The rain blurred the windows a little.
💡'obliterate' means a complete result; pair partial change with verbs like 'blur' or 'fade'.
❌She obliterated her old phone number from the list.
✅She crossed her old phone number off the list.
💡for a quick edit by hand, use 'cross out' or 'delete'; 'obliterate' suggests no trace remains.

2. to make a thought, feeling, or memory go away entirely, so that a person no long

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to make a thought, feeling, or memory go away entirely, so that a person no longer notices it or can no longer call it to mind — for example, when good news pushes earlier worry out of someone's head.

例句

One kind smile from Mei obliterated all of Daniel's earlier doubts about her.

obliterate + [feelings / doubts]

The shock of the accident had obliterated her memory of the entire afternoon.

obliterate + memory of + [event]

同義詞
  • erase

    more neutral; often used for memory or records

  • wipe

    informal; common in 'wipe from one's memory'

  • extinguish

    formal; usually for hope, passion, or feelings

反義詞
  • remember

    to keep an idea or feeling alive in the mind

  • retain

    to hold on to a thought or memory deliberately

文法句型

obliterate + abstract noun (memory, doubt, hope)

用法筆記

Object is almost always an abstract noun — memory, doubt, fear, hope, pain. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense never takes a physical object such as a town or a road, only something that exists inside someone's mind.

常見錯誤

❌I want to obliterate this bad memory in a few weeks.
✅I want to forget this bad memory in a few weeks.
💡'obliterate' implies the memory is gone in one stroke, not a gradual process; use 'forget' or 'get over' for that.