wipe out

verb

1. (tr) to destroy completely; eradicate

2. informal,  (tr) to murder or kill

3. (intr) to fall or jump off a surfboard or skateboard

noun

1. an act or instance of wiping out

2. the interference of one radio signal by another so that reception is impossible

Idioms and Phrases

Destroy, as in The large chains are wiping out the independent bookstores . Originally put simply as wipe , the idiom acquired out in the first half of the 1800s.

Kill; also, murder. For example, The entire crew was wiped out in the plane crash , or The gangsters threatened to wipe him and his family out . [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

"Not only will we wipe out every potential influence on public biddings – we will also make the process much faster, much more efficient and totally accountable."

From BBC

In a statement on Thursday, Human Rights Watch said the acid pollution had "killed fish, burned maize and groundnut crops, and led to the deaths of livestock, wiping out livelihoods of local farmers".

From BBC

“Sword enthusiast sells stock to help wipe out arrears.”

From Salon

State officials have warned the fund could be wiped out by damages from the Eaton fire, which killed 19 people and destroyed a large swath of Altadena on Jan. 7.

From Los Angeles Times

One painful example was the offensive pass interference penalty on Titus Mokiao-Atimalala that wiped out a third-quarter touchdown pass, eventually forcing the Bruins to kick a field goal.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abolish 
• annihilate 
• cancel 
• decimate 
• eliminate 
• eradicate 
• erase 
• exterminate 
• extinguish 
• kill 
• obliterate 
• remove 
• slaughter 
• uproot