an ‧ ni ‧ hi ‧ late /əˈnaɪəleɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: past participle of annihilare 'to reduce to nothing' , from Latin ad- 'to' + nihil 'nothing' ]
1 . to destroy something or someone completely:
Just one of these bombs could annihilate a city the size of New York.
2 . to defeat someone easily and completely in a game or competition:
Tyson annihilated his opponent in the first round.
—annihilation /əˌnaɪəˈleɪʃ ə n/ noun [uncountable]