extermination — English Dictionary

Noun

1. The act of exterminating; total destruction or eradication.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   extermination of error or vice

   extermination of weeds from a field

   More examples (2)

   Depending on the case, extermination of a group of people may constitute genocide or crime against humanity.

   Caley locomotive types, especially such numerous things as McIntosh goods and tank engines, have defied extermination over a good many years now.

2. Elimination.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

Noun

1. complete annihilation

   Synonyms

   extinction

   Broader terms

   annihilationdisintegration

   Examples

   they think a meteor caused the extinction of the dinosaurs

2. the act of exterminating

   Synonyms

   liquidation

   Broader terms

   destructiondevastation