Meaning
2 senses(transitive)To expose to, or attack with, kryptonite.
(figuratively, transitive)To destroy, wreck, or ruin; to affect adversely, as Superman is affected by kryptonite.
Examples
12 sentencesCommitment is like kryptonite to Tom.
Facts are like kryptonite to conservatives.
Tom's feelings are his own kryptonite.
Superman is vulnerable to kryptonite and magic.
The feelings of others are like kryptonite for Tom.
Origin
From a fictional radioactive element, kryptonite, that has a detrimental effect on the othFrom a fictional radioactive element, kryptonite, that has a detrimental effect on the otherwise invulnerable character Superman. Formed from Superman's home planet Krypton + -ite, which was named after the chemical element krypton.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
kryptonites, kryptoniting, kryptonited, kryptonited| Base form | kryptonite · to kryptonite |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | kryptonites |
| Present participle | kryptoniting |
| Past simple | kryptonited |
| Past participle | kryptonited |
regular · Lesson
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.