Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense pulverizes, present participle pulverizing, past tense, past participle pulverizedregional note: in BRIT, also use pulverise
1. verb
To pulverize something means to do great damage to it or to destroy it completely.
...the economic policies which pulverised the economy during the 1980s. [VERB noun]
A factory making armaments had been bombed and a residential area not far away hadbeen pulverized. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: destroy, wreck, demolish, flatten More Synonyms of pulverize
2. verb
If someone pulverizes an opponent in an election or competition, they thoroughly defeat them.
[informal]
He is set to pulverise his two opponents in the race for the presidency. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: defeat, stuff [slang], tank [slang], annihilate More Synonyms of pulverize
3. verb
If you pulverize something, you make it into a powder by crushing it.
Using a pestle and mortar, pulverise the bran to a coarse powder. [VERB noun]
The fries are made from pellets of pulverised potato. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: crush, pound, grind, mill More Synonyms of pulverize
pulverize in British English
or pulverise (ˈpʌlvəˌraɪz)
verb
1.
to reduce (a substance) to fine particles, as by crushing or grinding, or (of a substance) to be so reduced
2. (transitive)
to destroy completely; defeat or injure seriously
Derived forms
pulverizable (ˈpulverˌizable) or pulverisable (ˈpulverˌisable)
adjective
pulverization (ˌpulveriˈzation) or pulverisation (ˌpulveriˈsation)
noun
pulverizer (ˈpulverˌizer) or pulveriser (ˈpulverˌiser)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Late Latin pulverizare or French pulvériser, from Latin pulverum, from pulvis dust
pulverize in American English
(ˈpʌlvərˌaɪz)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈpulverˌized or ˈpulverˌizing
1.
to crush, grind, etc. into a powder or dust
2.
to break down completely; demolish
verb intransitive
3.
to be crushed, ground, etc. into powder or dust
Derived forms
pulverization (ˌpulveriˈzation)
noun
pulverizer (ˈpulverˌizer)
noun
Word origin
MFr pulveriser < LL pulverizare < L pulvis, powder: see pollen
Synonyms of 'pulverize'
destroy, wreck, demolish, flatten
defeat, stuff, tank, annihilate
crush, pound, grind, mill
More Synonyms of pulverize
1 (verb)
Definition
to destroy completely
A nearby residential area had been pulverized by the bombing.
Synonyms
destroy
The building was completely destroyed.
wreck
Vandals wrecked the garden.
demolish
The building is being demolished to make way for a motorway.
flatten
Bombing raids flattened much of the area.
raze to the ground
kennet (Australian, slang)
jeff (Australian, slang)
2 (verb)
He pulverized his opponents in the race for the presidency.
Synonyms
defeat
His troops defeated the opposing army.
stuff (slang)
tank (slang)
annihilate
vanquish (literary)
a happy ending in which the hero vanquishes the monsters
smash
A crowd of youths started smashing windows.
crush
lick (informal)
He might be able to lick us all in a fair fight.
wipe the floor with (informal)
blow out of the water (slang)
3 (verb)
Definition
to reduce to fine particles by crushing or grinding
Pulverize the bran to a fine powder.
Synonyms
crush
Their vehicle was crushed by an army tank.
pound
She paused as she pounded the maize grains.
grind
Grind the pepper in a pepper mill.
mill
freshly milled black pepper
bray
pestle
granulate
comminute
triturate
levigate (chemistry)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of demolish
Definition
to tear down or break up (buildings)
The building is being demolished to make way for a motorway.
Synonyms
knock down,
level,
destroy,
ruin,
overthrow,
dismantle,
flatten,
trash (slang),
total (slang),
tear down,
bulldoze,
raze,
pulverize
in the sense of flatten
Definition
to knock down or injure
Bombing raids flattened much of the area.
Synonyms
destroy,
level,
ruin,
demolish,
knock down,
pull down,
tear down,
throw down,
bulldoze,
raze,
remove,
kennet (Australian, slang),
jeff (Australian, slang)
in the sense of granulate
Synonyms
crystallize,
pound,
grind,
crush,
powder,
crumble,
pulverize,
triturate,
levigate
Nearby words of
pulverize
pulpy
pulsate
pulse
pulverize
pummel
pump
pump something up
Synonyms of 'pulverize'
pulverize
Explore 'pulverize' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of grind
Definition
to reduce to small particles by pounding or rubbing
Grind the pepper in a pepper mill.
Synonyms
crush,
mill,
powder,
grate,
pulverize,
pound,
kibble,
abrade,
granulate,
comminute,
triturate
in the sense of lick
Definition
to defeat
He might be able to lick us all in a fair fight.
Synonyms
beat,
defeat,
overcome,
best,
top,
stuff (slang),
tank (slang),
undo,
rout,
excel,
surpass,
outstrip,
outdo,
trounce,
clobber (slang),
vanquish,
run rings around (informal),
wipe the floor with (informal),
blow out of the water (slang)
in the sense of mill
Definition
to grind, press, or process in or as if in a mill
freshly milled black pepper
Synonyms
grind,
pound,
press,
crush,
powder,
grate,
pulverize,
granulate,
comminute
in the sense of pound
Definition
to crush to pieces or to powder
She paused as she pounded the maize grains.
Synonyms
crush,
powder,
bruise,
bray (dialect),
pulverize,
comminute (rare),
triturate
in the sense of smash
Definition
to break into pieces violently and noisily
A crowd of youths started smashing windows.
Synonyms
break,
crush,
shatter,
crack,
demolish,
shiver (archaic, literary),
disintegrate,
pulverize,
crush to smithereens
in the sense of vanquish
Definition
to defeat (someone) in a battle, contest, or argument
a happy ending in which the hero vanquishes the monsters