Indirect characterization is implied by the author
Annihilate and decimate both mean to destroy something or someone, but annihilate means to destroy something as a whole, and at a bigger scale, while decimate doesn't have to mean destroying the whole thing.
Eradicate and massacre are both violent words with the intent to convey destruction, but eradicate is a more general term, as massacre is meant to simple destroy/kill a large group of people.
