Make Your Point > Archived Issues > OBLITERATE

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connect today's word to others: I imagine most of us already know the word obliterate, but it's so fun to use, with such an interesting origin, that it's worth a few minutes of study.  It literally means "against the letters" and may have come from the Latin phrase literas scribere, which means "to write (across) letters," that is, to draw lines over them, to strike them out. When you obliterate something, it's as if you're crossing it out--scratching it out of existence. Let's recall some synonyms of obliterate: 1. To ef___e something is to totally get rid of it or wipe it out, as if you're rubbing its face away with an eraser. 2. To er____ate something is to get rid of it completely, as if you've ripped it out of the earth by the roots. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "OBLITERATE" To obliterate something is to make it disappear or to destroy it completely, as if you're completely marking it out with a pen. Pronunciation: Either "uh BLIT uh rate" (my preference) or "oh BLIT uh rate" Part of speech: Verb, the transitive kind: "laughter obliterated my bad mood," "their hopes have been obliterated." Other forms: obliterated, obliterating, obliteration, obliterative, obliterator(s) How to use it: This word has a serious tone, which makes it great for strong emphasis and exaggeration. You might be literal and talk about physical things being obliterated. "A postmark obliterates a stamp so that it can't be reused;" "Time and weathering had obliterated the inscription on the gravestone." Or, talk literally (or with exaggeration) about natural disasters (like wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, or tsunamis) that obliterate buildings, neighborhoods, or towns. More often, we're figurative, talking about the people, things, factors, events, and situations that obliterate hopes, chances, possibilities, memories, differences, habits, traditions, motivation, concentration, etc. If you can make it go away completely, as if you're marking it out with a giant black Sharpie, you can obliterate it. But often, "obliterate" is an exaggeration: "Their team obliterated ours." examples: The scandals should have obliterated his chances in the election. "They methodically dynamited Manila’s business, government and religious landmarks, obliterating the city’s cultural heritage..."    — Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 2 November 2018 study it: Explain the meaning of "obliterate" without saying "mark out completely" or "demolish." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "In this age of _____, _____ seem(s) doomed to obliteration." (Or: "Even in this age of _____, _____ [don't or doesn't] seem doomed to obliteration.") Example: "Even in this age of cheap digital books, physical ones don't seem doomed to obliteration." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is "Inspired by, but in no way associated with, Jeopardy!" In each issue, I'll create three "answers" for you, and you supply the "questions." (That is, you'll respond in the form of a question, like "What is...?" or "Who is...?") From the previous issue: 1. Category: On the What? Answer: To be here is to be in the perilous vanguard of science or technology. Question: What is "on the bleeding edge"? 2. Category: 2019 Models. Answer: This Hyundai's name is a monstrous mash-up of words meaning "speed" and "sporty two-seater." Question: What is the Veloster? 3. Category: Ends in "Ends." Answer: They're the closest companions. Question: What are best friends? Try these today: 1. Category: 2019 Models. Answer: Made by Lamborghini, this SUV is named for a prehistoric ox. 2. Category: Ends in "Ends." Answer: They're everyone's favorite period of forty-eight hours.  3. Category: Dickensian Letters. Answer: E. S.: He's the one who groused about "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips." review today's word: 1. The opposite of OBLITERATE is A. CREATE. B. CELEBRATE. C. COMPLICATE. 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind imagines a world where we can selectively obliterate our memories, _____. A. wiping away the most painful ones B. stitching them into meaningful story arcs C. rendering them into films to be savored and shared Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A