eradicate
Americanverb (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.
verb
-
to obliterate; stamp out
-
to pull or tear up by the roots
Related Words
See abolish.
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing eradicate
The Maze Runner
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Donald Trump Inauguration Address- January 20, 2017
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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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.
“Just do something, even if it’s minimal, above and beyond the minimum payment to try to eradicate that as quickly as possible,” he said.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
He vowed to eradicate homelessness and rough sleeping "once and for all", to overhaul planning to speed up decisions and to improve energy efficiency in people's homes.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
“And, at the same time, to eradicate this crime. There should be no more disappeared in Mexico.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
He said he wants to eradicate the “Korea discount” that the country’s stocks have, and even turn it into a “Korea premium,” local media reported.
From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026
Phony rules, which proliferate like urban legends and are just as hard to eradicate, are responsible for vast amounts of ham-fisted copyediting and smarty-pants one-upmanship.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
