exorcise
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to seek to expel (an evil spirit) by adjuration or religious or solemn ceremonies.
to exorcise a demon.
-
to free (a person, place, etc.) of evil spirits or malignant influences.
Other Word Forms
- exorcisement noun
- exorciser noun
- unexorcised adjective
Etymology
Origin of exorcise
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin exorcizāre, from Greek exorkízein, equivalent to ex- “out of, from” ( ex- 3 + (h)orkízein “to cause (someone) to swear an oath”
Explanation
To exorcise is to cast out a devil or evil spirit, using prayer and other religious tools. You're probably familiar with the name of the person who does this: an exorcist. Don't try to exorcise a demon yourself. Call an exorcist. One way to remember the word exorcise is that it sounds like "exercise," which means to work out or train your body or mind. Casting out devils is hard work, so be sure to exercise before you exorcise. A boxer doesn't box without exercising first. And an exorcist doesn't exorcise without getting ready first either. The devil is a tough opponent, so you'd better get warmed up before you try to exorcise him from that little girl.
Vocabulary lists containing exorcise
Power Prefix: ex-
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Bless Me, Ultima
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Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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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.
The modern West tried to exorcise these demons.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026
I needed to exorcise this thing so it could join the world!
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025
Unai Emery returns to Paris St-Germain to exorcise the personal demons of the so-called "La Remontada" while providing the X-factor in Aston Villa's attempt to reach a Champions League semi-final.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2025
Both teams can exorcise the 2017 demons, then give us the series we were deprived of in 2017.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2024
And I had heard that Ultima could lift the curses laid by brujas, that she could exorcise the evil the witches planted in people to make them sick.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
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.
