purge

[ purj ]

/ pɜrdʒ /

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Definition of purge

verb (used with object), purged, purg·ing.

to rid of whatever is impure or undesirable; cleanse; purify.

to rid, clear, or free (usually followed by of or from): to purge a political party of disloyal members.

to clear of imputed guilt or ritual uncleanliness.

to clear away or wipe out legally (an offense, accusation, etc.) by atonement or other suitable action.

to remove by cleansing or purifying (often followed by away, off, or out).

to clear or empty (the stomach or bowels) by inducing vomiting or evacuation.

to cause evacuation of the bowels of (a person).

to put to death or otherwise eliminate (undesirable or unwanted members) from a political organization, government, nation, etc.

Metallurgy.

to drive off (undesirable gases) from a furnace or stove.
to free (a furnace or stove) of undesirable gases.

verb (used without object), purged, purg·ing.

to become cleansed or purified.

to clear or empty the stomach or bowels by inducing vomiting or evacuation: A bulimic individual who binges and purges often will experience physical changes that make stopping the cycle extremely difficult.

noun

the act or process of purging.

the removal or elimination of members of a political organization, government, nation, etc., who are considered disloyal or otherwise undesirable.

something that purges, as a purgative medicine or laxative.

OTHER WORDS FOR purge

8 oust, liquidate, extirpate.

See synonyms for purge on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of purge

First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English purgen, from Old French purg(i)er, from Latin pūrgāre “to cleanse”; (noun) Middle English, from Old French, derivative of the verb

OTHER WORDS FROM purge

purge·a·ble, adjectivepurg·er, nounun·purge·a·ble, adjectiveun·purged, adjective

Words nearby purge

purgation, purgative, Purgatoire, purgatorial, purgatory, purge, purging, purging nut, puri, purification, Purification of the Virgin Mary

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use purge in a sentence

The members alleged an ideological purge of the party, given most of them were aligned with the tea party.
Marjorie Taylor Greene would be in rare company if she is kicked off her committees|Aaron Blake|February 3, 2021|Washington Post
Facebook has confirmed in a statement to Quartz Africa that it carried out the purge because the affected individuals and groups where using the platform to manipulate voters ahead of the elections.
Facebook has taken down hundreds of political accounts in Uganda days ahead of a tense election|Stephen Kafeero|January 11, 2021|Quartz
Four Xiaomi apps, including its web browser and video-calling platform, were caught in the purge and, according to Jain, a “mob mentality” on social media threatened its sales.
How Chinese phonemaker Xiaomi conquered India—and outperformed Apple|eamonbarrett|December 3, 2020|Fortune
The study suggests that the melting of Alaska’s remaining glaciers into the North Pacific, though less extreme than purges of the past, could have far-ranging effects on global ocean circulation and the climate in coming centuries.
Large-scale changes in Earth’s climate may originate in the Pacific|Gloria Dickie|October 8, 2020|Science News

Eligible voters have been disenfranchised in purges of voting rolls in several states.
Levi Strauss CEO: We can’t solve racial inequality if gun violence and voter disenfranchisement persist|jakemeth|September 1, 2020|Fortune
“I thought my reward would be that I could purge my relationship with people in the religious community,” she says.
Is the Christian Music Industry Softening on Gays?|Matthew Paul Turner|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After the initial, gag-inducing swallows, I waited for the purge.
Spirit Tripping With Colombian Shamans|Chris Allbritton|August 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He simply happened to be in one of those sections of Red Army intelligence which in some purge or other ceased to exist.
Iran’s Top Spy Is the Modern-Day Karla, John Le Carré’s Villainous Mastermind|Michael Weiss|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When Internet censors purge references to “6/4,” users substitute “May 35.”
On the 25th Anniversary of Tiananmen Sq., Chinese Dissidents Remain Undaunted|Ellen Bork|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A friend suggested I write down everything that happened to me to help purge the images from my mind.
How 9/11 Made Journalists Part of the Story|Allison Gilbert|May 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And I will turn my hand to thee, and I will clean purge away thy dross, and I will take away all thy tin.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The Irish, according to Everards, used large quantities of snuff "to purge their brains."
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
To rule sound out of language, is, indeed, far more fatal than to purge Hamlet out of Hamlet.
Archaic England|Harold Bayley
Refine and purge our earthy parts; But, oh, inflame and fire our hearts!
The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886|Ministry of Education
Chum has found, however, that his particular mission in life is to purge his master's garden of all birds.
Happy Days|Alan Alexander Milne

British Dictionary definitions for purge

purge

/ (pɜːdʒ) /

verb

(tr) to rid (something) of (impure or undesirable elements)

(tr) to rid (a state, political party, etc) of (dissident or troublesome people)

(tr)

to empty (the bowels) by evacuation of faeces
to cause (a person) to evacuate his bowels

to clear (a person) of a charge
to free (oneself) of guilt, as by atonementto purge contempt

(intr) to be cleansed or purified

noun

the act or process of purging

the elimination of opponents or dissidents from a state, political party, etc

a purgative drug or agent; cathartic

Derived forms of purge

purger, noun

Word Origin for purge

C14: from Old French purger, from Latin pūrgāre to purify

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

purge

Definition of purge

OTHER WORDS FOR purge

Origin of purge

OTHER WORDS FROM purge

Words nearby purge

Words related to purge

How to use purge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for purge

Derived forms of purge

Word Origin for purge