WordGarden.iovaporize
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /vˈeɪpɔːrˌaɪz/
US
- /ˈveɪpərˌaɪz/
Meanings
Verb
to turn something into vapor, or be turned into vapor, especially by strong heat
to destroy something completely or blast it out of existence
to disappear or be wiped out very quickly
More meaningsFewer meanings
to defeat someone very badly in a contest
Beyond the definition
To vaporize something is not just to make it disappear. It means changing a liquid or solid into a gas, like when water becomes steam. It can also mean destroying something very quickly and completely, often with great heat or force. A powerful laser could vaporize a small piece of metal, and a crushing loss might "vaporize" a team's hopes for the championship.
The word brings to mind intense heat, sudden disappearance, and total change. It often appears in science fiction for futuristic weapons, but it also shows up in everyday language when something seems to vanish without a trace. Imagine leaving your favorite snack on the counter, only to come back and find it has been... vaporized!
The word "vaporize" comes from "vapor," the gaseous form of a substance, and it carries a sense of dramatic transformation. At its core, vaporize means to convert a liquid or solid into a gas. This happens when enough heat energy is added to overcome the forces holding the molecules together. You can think of water turning into steam, or a solid being heated until it becomes gas.
However, "vaporize" often goes beyond this scientific definition. It is frequently used figuratively to describe something disappearing rapidly or being utterly destroyed. A politician's career might be "vaporized" by a scandal, meaning it is ruined quickly and completely. A powerful team could also "vaporize" its opponents in a competition, suggesting such a one-sided defeat that the result barely feels like a contest.
In science fiction, "vaporization" is often shown as the result of intense energy weapons, such as lasers or plasma guns, instantly turning targets into gas. This image has strengthened the word's link with speed and total destruction.
So, whether you are talking about a scientific process, a dramatic downfall, or futuristic weapons, to vaporize means to turn something into gas or to wipe it out completely, leaving almost nothing behind.
Examples
- 1
Heat
The heat from the stove will vaporize any water left in the pan.
- 2
Fuel
At that temperature, the liquid fuel vaporizes almost instantly.
- 3
Science fiction
In the movie, one blast from the laser vaporized the steel door.
- 4
Legal prospects
The new evidence vaporized his chances of winning the case.
- Patternvaporize someone's chances
destroy their chances completely and very quickly
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Financial loss
When the market crashed, a lot of people felt their savings had vaporized overnight.
- Phrasevaporize overnight
disappear or lose value very suddenly
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- vaporizeverb
Forms
- vaporizedpast tenseverb
- vaporizing-ing formverb
- vaporizesverb