Synonyms

eradicate

American

[ih-rad-i-keyt] / ɪˈræd ɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

to remove or destroy utterly; extirpate.

to eradicate smallpox throughout the world.

Synonyms:

annihilate, exterminate, uproot, obliterate
to erase by rubbing or by means of a chemical solvent.

to eradicate a spot.
to pull up by the roots.

to eradicate weeds.

eradicate British

/ ɪˈrædɪˌkeɪt /

verb

to obliterate; stamp out
to pull or tear up by the roots

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See abolish.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of eradicate

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin ērādīcātus “rooted out” (past participle of ērādīcāre ), equivalent to ē- e- ¹ + rādīc- (stem of rādīx ) root ¹ + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

To eradicate something is to get rid of it, to destroy it, and to kiss it goodbye. Eradicate is from the Latin word eradicare meaning "to root out." When you yank that weed up by the roots, it has been eradicated; it's not coming back. Eradicate often means to kill a bunch of somethings, like what you want the poison to do to the roach family and their extended relatives living in your house, and what we thought we did to bedbugs. You can also eradicate corruption, poverty, or diseases. Although there are all kinds of things to get rid of, we usually want to only eradicate the bad things.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

eradicate eradicates eradicated eradicating

The goal was to reduce the impacts on residents, not totally eradicate the cicadas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

In June, the Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor said he would eradicate two-year waits in a matter of months.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

There aren’t many of those critters in the Golden State and, when they’re found, officials seek to eradicate them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Its glass carafes appeal to eco-anxious consumers who want to eradicate microplastics from their lives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

“We aren’t trying to eradicate peculiardom—we’re trying to save it!”

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

The immune system then recognizes and eradicates those spike proteins, thus learning how to defend against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2022

Johnson added, “It helps the drought but by no means eradicates the drought.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2022

This “Dune” almost completely eradicates the arid, meandering vision and miscues of David Lynch’s 1984 film adaptation.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 20, 2022

Users must then push down on the lid to activate the technology, which the company claims eradicates more or less all bacteria and viruses in 60 seconds.

From BBC ● May 28, 2020

“We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear,” says Four.

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

The assistant referee gets an audio alert when a player is 10cm or more offside, so the delayed flag has largely been eradicated.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

A flesh-eating parasitic fly is once again threatening the nation’s livestock, after being eradicated from the U.S. six decades ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

It’s also because after being eradicated in the United States in the 1960s, the flesh-eating screwworm is back: A few cases have emerged in Texas.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

Still, the resurgence of the parasite, which was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s, comes at a time when the cattle industry is already facing drought, tariff battles and other challenges.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026

The screw-worm had indeed been eradicated on Cura§ao.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Completely eradicating the paper check, however, would be a steep psychological hill to climb.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

This summer's World Cup will see a high number of law changes, primarily around eradicating tactics to slow the tempo of play and waste time.

From BBC ● May 31, 2026

The UK also has a goal of eradicating cervical cancer by 2040, but has faced similar struggles - both HPV vaccination and cervical screening coverage have declined over recent years.

From BBC ● May 1, 2026

The fake world has subsumed the real world, eradicating it and leaving nothing in its place.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

In the background the racket of Buster Friendly boomed and brayed, eradicating her words; he saw her mouth moving but heard only the TV.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023