wipeout

1 of 2

noun

wipe·​out ˈwīp-ˌau̇t How to pronounce wipeout (audio)
Synonyms of wipeoutnext
1
: the act or an instance of wiping out : complete or utter destruction
2
: a fall or crash caused usually by losing control
3
: a total or decisive defeat : drubbing

wipe out

2 of 2

verb

wiped out; wiping out; wipes out

transitive verb

: to destroy completely : annihilate

intransitive verb

: to fall or crash usually as a result of losing control

Synonyms of wipeout

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of wipeout in a Sentence

Noun The surfer had a nasty wipeout. Verb he didn't get his gambling under control until he had already wiped out his entire life savings
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
His 98-mph fastball is as devastating as his wipeout slider, which is one of the best in the game. — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 8 June 2026 Ironically, that outcome may lead it to threaten a market wipeout — if not apocalypse — itself. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 June 2026
Verb
That wiped out about $265 billion of its market value, which remains above $4 trillion. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 25 June 2026 For stargazers who have dipped their toes into the world of binoculars and telescopes, prices stack up quickly and even one purchase can wipe out thousands of dollars. — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wipeout

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1535, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of wipeout was in 1535

Rhymes for wipeout

See All Rhymes for wipeout

Browse Nearby Words

wipe one's feet
wipeout
wipe out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wipeout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wipeout. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

wipeout

1 of 2 noun
wipe·​out ˈwīp-ˌau̇t How to pronounce wipeout (audio)
1
: complete destruction
2
: a fall or crash caused usually by losing control
wipeouts on the downhill ski course are common
3
: total or final defeat
couldn't bear to watch the team's wipeout

wipe out

2 of 2 verb
1
: to destroy completely
crops wiped out by flooding
2
: to fall or crash usually as a result of losing control
the surfer wiped out
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All