pulverize
verb
pul·ver·ize ˈpəl-və-ˌrīz 
pulverized; pulverizing
transitive verb
1
: to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles : atomize
pulverize rock
2
: annihilate, demolish
intransitive verb
: to become pulverized
pulverizable
ˌpəl-və-ˈrī-zə-bəl
adjective pulverization
ˌpəl-və-rə-ˈzā-shən
noun ˌpəlv-rə-
pulverizer
ˈpəl-və-ˌrī-zər
noun 
Synonyms
- annihilate
- cream
- decimate
- demolish
- desolate
- destroy
- devastate
- do in
- extinguish
- nuke
- pull down
- raze
- rub out
- ruin
- shatter
- smash
- tear down
- total
- vaporize
- waste
- wrack
- wreck
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The mower pulverizes grass clippings. Bits of pulverized rock filled the air.
Recent Examples on the Web Transfer to a mortar and pestle; pulverize into a coarse powder, about 1 minute. 
People Staff, PEOPLE.com, 2 Aug. 2022 When grinding the seeds, be sure to keep them coarse — don’t pulverize them to a powder. Christopher Kimball, USA TODAY, 13 June 2022 Megan has to look at her life the same way, or else the weight of the loss, violence, and vitriol she’s faced will pulverize her. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2022 Those missiles were used during the Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq war and are used to pulverize critical infrastructure, like air defense sites and forward bases. John Hudson, Washington Post, 27 May 2022 Putin used the still-murky origins of the Moscow apartment bombings in 1999 as a pretext to pulverize Chechnya and paint himself as the muscular defender of the Russian people, just in time to win his first presidential election. Frida Ghitis, CNN, 1 Apr. 2022 Ukrainian troops and volunteers have managed so far to repel feints by Russian ground forces — leading to fears that the invaders will attempt, from a distance, to simply pulverize the city into submission. Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 Western officials and analysts say the conflict is turning into a grinding war of attrition, with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces using air power and artillery to pulverize cities from a distance. Cara Anna, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Mar. 2022 Moscow’s strategy in Chechnya and Syria was to use artillery and air bombardments to pulverize cities and crush fighters’ resolve. chicagotribune.com, 2 Mar. 2022 See More
People Staff, PEOPLE.com, 2 Aug. 2022 When grinding the seeds, be sure to keep them coarse — don’t pulverize them to a powder. Christopher Kimball, USA TODAY, 13 June 2022 Megan has to look at her life the same way, or else the weight of the loss, violence, and vitriol she’s faced will pulverize her. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2022 Those missiles were used during the Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq war and are used to pulverize critical infrastructure, like air defense sites and forward bases. John Hudson, Washington Post, 27 May 2022 Putin used the still-murky origins of the Moscow apartment bombings in 1999 as a pretext to pulverize Chechnya and paint himself as the muscular defender of the Russian people, just in time to win his first presidential election. Frida Ghitis, CNN, 1 Apr. 2022 Ukrainian troops and volunteers have managed so far to repel feints by Russian ground forces — leading to fears that the invaders will attempt, from a distance, to simply pulverize the city into submission. Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 Western officials and analysts say the conflict is turning into a grinding war of attrition, with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces using air power and artillery to pulverize cities from a distance. Cara Anna, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Mar. 2022 Moscow’s strategy in Chechnya and Syria was to use artillery and air bombardments to pulverize cities and crush fighters’ resolve. chicagotribune.com, 2 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Late Latin pulverizare, from Latin pulver-, pulvis dust, powder — more at powder
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
pulverize
verb
pul·ver·ize ˈpəl-və-ˌrīz
pulverized; pulverizing
: to beat or grind into a powder or dust
Medical Definition
pulverize
verb
pul·ver·ize
variants also British pulverise
ˈpəl-və-ˌrīz
pulverized also British pulverised; pulverizing also British pulverising
transitive verb
: to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles
intransitive verb
: to become pulverized
pulverize
verb
1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of buildings pulverized by a killer tornado Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- destroy
- demolish
- shatter
- ruin
- devastate
- smash
- wreck
- overcome
- annihilate
- vaporize
- damage
- decimate
- waste
- raze
- erode
- nuke
- crush
- ravage
- extinguish
- mar
- cripple
- total
- dismantle
- wrack
- kill
- cream
- tear down
- desolate
- pull down
- subdue
- defeat
- remove
- blast
- injure
- break
- rub out
- conquer
- disintegrate
- clobber
- dissolve
- lick
- mutilate
- obliterate
- best
- spoil
- do in
- disfigure
- mangle
- surmount
- master
- whip
- trounce
- eradicate
- thrash
- dynamite
- harm
- impair
- beat
- wallop
- rout
- deteriorate
- deface
- trim
- vitiate
- exterminate
- disassemble
- overbear
- scotch
- assassinate
- scour
- overmatch
- extirpate
- expunge
- sack
- drub
- slay
- trample
- unmake
- plunder
- liquidate
- blow up
- slaughter
- gut
- zap
- undo
- wash out
- despoil
- wipe out
- execute
- efface
- skunk
- take down
- pillage
- fell
- loot
- blot out
- trash
- havoc
- vandalize
- murder
- dilapidate
- cut down
- kill off
- butcher
- unbuild
- dispatch
- prevail (over)
- sweep (away)
- win (against)
- massacre
- take out
- triumph (over)
- wear (away)
- snuff (out)
- mow (down)
- stamp (out)
- root (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- build
- construct
- raise
- create
- erect
- produce
- make
- repair
- fix
- assemble
- patch
- establish
- set up
- form
- protect
- rear
- mend
- preserve
- organize
- invent
- manufacture
- save
- fabricate
- constitute
- found
- forge
- shape
- recondition
- mold
- conserve
- bring about
- rebuild
- restore
- reconstruct
- institute
- put up
- revamp
- frame
- fashion
- doctor
- renovate
- father
- remodel
2
as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles pulverize the cement into dust for reuse Synonyms & Similar Words
- grind
- crush
- pound
- beat
- disintegrate
- powder
- mill
- smash
- crumble
- atomize
- comminute
- bray
- grate
- shatter
- mull
- fracture
- break
- fragment
- crunch
- kibble
- splinter
- bust
- dash
- micronize