elimination
Americannoun
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the act of eliminating.
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the state of being eliminated.
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Mathematics. the process of solving a system of simultaneous equations by using various techniques to remove the variables successively.
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Sports. a game, bout, or match in a tournament in which an individual or team is eliminated from the competition after one defeat.
noun
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the act of eliminating or the state of being eliminated
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logic (qualified by the name of an operation) a syntactic rule specifying the conditions under which a formula or statement containing the specified operation may permit the derivation of others that do not contain it
conjunction-elimination
universal elimination
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chem a type of chemical reaction involving the loss of a simple molecule, such as water or carbon dioxide
Other Word Forms
- nonelimination noun
- preelimination noun
- proelimination adjective
Etymology
Origin of elimination
Explanation
Elimination is the process of getting rid of something, whether it’s waste, errors, or the competition. Elimination comes from the Latin word limen, which means threshold. The Romans added an “e” to the beginning and created the verb eliminare, which means to banish or to push over the threshold and out the door. If you solve a multiple-choice question on a test using the process of elimination, you rule out the wrong possibilities one by one until you find the right answer.
Vocabulary lists containing elimination
John F. Kennedy's Address to the American People on the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
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On Your Mark, Get Set, Commence Your Life!
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"Amigo Brothers" and "Lean on Me"
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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.
Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, but the country is likely to lose its elimination status.
From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026
Meanwhile, only 2 in 10 workers feel confident their job is safe from elimination, according to ADP research released late last month.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
Reflecting on their elimination, he added: "This hurts. We gave everything we could. It's a real shock."
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
That would prove the regime’s inability to defend itself, signifying it can’t long survive and exacerbating divisions within a system already rocked by an accelerated succession crisis and the elimination of many top leaders.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
By their elimination the total load of carcinogens would be enormously lightened, and the threat that one in every four will develop cancer would at least be greatly mitigated.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
