practically annihilated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "practically annihilated" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something has been almost completely destroyed or eliminated. Example: "The once-thriving forest was practically annihilated by the wildfire, leaving behind only charred remains."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The Japanese fleet has already practically annihilated Russia's naval powers in the Orient.

Cornell University

The Romans, surrounded on all sides, were practically annihilated, and the loss of citizens was perhaps greater than in any other defeat that befell the republic.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In 1631 Sweden concluded its treaty with France, and, at Breitenfeld in that same year, the Swedish army practically annihilated the imperial forces under the famous Bavarian general the Count von Tilly.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Three groups of U.S. escort carriers, met by Kurita on his way toward Leyte Gulf, suffered heavy damage; but, meanwhile, Nishimura's fleet (two battleships, one heavy cruiser, four destroyers) had been detected on its way to the Surigao Strait and, on its entry into Leyte Gulf in the early hours of October 25, had been practically annihilated by the U.S. 7th Fleet.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The architect Cedric Price was a mentor, and "roared with laughter" when she told him she had been approached about the job: "He said: 'It's a basket case, you'll be perfect.'" "Celebrating humanity was so needed after the world had practically annihilated itself," she says.

The Guardian

Hastening to relieve the city, al-Djarrah was defeated and killed, and his army practically annihilated in a battle outside the city on 9 December 730.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

By the time less than a single second had passed, practically all of the antimatter had annihilated away, leaving approximately 1 proton and 1 electron for every 1 billion photons.

Forbes

Three separate measurements ensure a good reproducibility of this research, the source contribution being evidenced at the level of 15%% allowing practically full compensation of input from positrons annihilated in the Kapton® foil with a lifetime of 0.372 ns.

Nanoscale Research Letters

"I got annihilated, economically annihilated.

The New York Times

Livestock have been annihilated.

The Economist

He was annihilated.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "practically annihilated" when you want to emphasize that something is almost entirely destroyed or eliminated, but not necessarily 100%. This phrasing adds nuance, acknowledging a small possibility of survival or remnants.

Common error

Avoid using "practically annihilated" when the destruction is truly absolute. If there's absolutely nothing left, stronger terms like "completely annihilated" or "obliterated" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically annihilated" functions as a descriptive expression, typically modifying a noun to indicate the extent of its destruction or elimination. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

25%

News & Media

25%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "practically annihilated" signifies near-total destruction or elimination, stopping just short of complete obliteration. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and acceptable in English. It appears across various contexts like encyclopedias, news media and academia, suggesting a neutral register. While not a very common phrase, "practically annihilated" is useful for conveying a high degree of damage or loss while acknowledging the possibility, however slight, of some remnants or survival. Alternatives include "almost completely destroyed" or "virtually wiped out". When using this phrase, ensure that the context aligns with the nuanced meaning it conveys, avoiding overstatement if total annihilation has occurred.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost completely destroyed

Emphasizes the near-complete nature of the destruction, focusing on the outcome.

virtually wiped out

Indicates the near-total removal or elimination of something.

nearly eradicated

Focuses on the elimination aspect, suggesting a close-to-complete removal.

all but exterminated

Highlights the aspect of total elimination, leaving very little remaining.

effectively eliminated

Stresses the effectiveness of the elimination, although not absolute.

substantially decimated

Indicates a significant reduction, close to complete annihilation.

largely extinguished

Suggests the near-total suppression or end of something.

in effect, terminated

Implies a termination that is as good as complete, achieving the same result.

as good as obliterated

Highlights the near-total removal or destruction, closely resembling obliteration.

tantamount to destruction

Conveys that the situation is equivalent to total destruction, in effect.

FAQs

What does "practically annihilated" mean?

It means something has been almost completely destroyed or eliminated. The "practically" indicates it's not a 100% annihilation, but very close.

What can I say instead of "practically annihilated"?

You can use alternatives like "almost completely destroyed", "virtually wiped out", or "nearly eradicated" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say something is "practically annihilated" if there are still some remnants?

Yes, the word "practically" suggests a near-total destruction, so it's appropriate even if a small part remains. If nothing remains, use terms like "completely destroyed".

What is the difference between "practically annihilated" and "completely annihilated"?

"Practically annihilated" implies near-total destruction, with a slight possibility of something remaining. "Completely annihilated" means total destruction, with nothing left.