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Annihilation vs Massacre - What's the difference?

annihilation | massacre |

As nouns the difference between annihilation and massacre

is that annihilation is the act of reducing to nothing, or nonexistence; or the act of destroying the form or combination of parts under which a thing exists, so that the name can no longer be applied to it; as, the annihilation of a corporation while massacre is the intentional killing of a considerable number of human beings, under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the norms of civilized people.

As a verb massacre is

to kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the norms of civilized people; to butcher; to slaughter. Often limited to the killing of human beings.

annihilation

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of reducing to nothing, or nonexistence; or the act of destroying the form or combination of parts under which a thing exists, so that the name can no longer be applied to it; as, the annihilation of a corporation.
  • The state of being annihilated.
  • (physics) The process of a particle and its corresponding antiparticle combining to produce energy.
  • Synonyms

    * (act of reducing to nothing) extinction, eradication * (state of being annihilated) extinction

    Antonyms

    * (act of reducing to nothing) creation, generation * (state of being annihilated) generation

    massacre

    English

    Alternative forms

    * massacer (archaic)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The intentional killing of a considerable number of human beings, under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the norms of civilized people.
  • the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day
    St. Valentine's Day''' '''massacre
    Amritsar''' '''massacre
  • (obsolete) Murder.
  • * 1593 , , The Tragedy of Richard the Third
  • The tyrannous and bloody act is done,—
    The most arch deed of piteous massacre
    That ever yet this land was guilty of.
  • (figuratively) An overwhelming defeat.
  • Synonyms

    * butchery, carnage, slaughter. *: Massacre denotes the promiscuous slaughter of many who can not make resistance, or much resistance. *:* 1592 , , Titus Andronicus, I,v *:*: I'll find a day to massacre them all, And raze their faction and their family *: Butchery refers to cold-blooded cruelty in the killing of men as if they were brute beasts. *:* 1593 , , Richard III, I,ii *:*: If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds, Behold this pattern of thy butcheries *: Carnage points to slaughter as producing the heaped-up bodies of the slain. *:* 1674 , , Paradise Lost *:*: Such a scent I draw Of carnage , prey innumerable!

    Verb

    (massacr)
  • To kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the norms of civilized people; to butcher; to slaughter.
  • * 1849 , , The History Of England From the Accession of James II
  • If James should be pleased to massacre' them all, as Maximilian had ' massacred the Theban legion
  • (figuratively)