Förinta

Förinta is a Swedish verb meaning to destroy completely, annihilate, or wipe out. It can refer to the physical destruction of objects, the total elimination of a population, or a decisive defeat in a competition. The term is strong and most often found in formal, historical, or violent contexts, and it is less common in everyday polite language.

Usage of förinta spans literal and figurative domains. In military or war reporting, it may describe the total destruction of infrastructure or forces. It can also appear in historical discussions about genocidal acts or mass extermination. Figuratively, the verb can express complete domination, such as “förinta konkurrensen” (to wipe out the competition) or “förinta ett hot.”

Connotations of the word are intense and can be sensitive, especially when applied to human groups or genocidal events. In many contemporary texts, it is used with caution, and alternatives like utplåna, utrota, or förstöra are chosen to soften or specify the sense. Related terms include förintelse (extermination) and, when referring to the Holocaust, Förintelsen in definite form.

Grammatically, förinta conjugates as a regular strong verb in Swedish. Infinitiv: förinta; presens: förintar; preteritum: förintade; supinum: förintat. The past participle used adjectivally or in passive constructions is usually förintad (e.g., den förintade staden).

See also: utplåna, utrota, förstöra, förintelse, Förintelsen.