purged; purging
1
a
: to clear of guilt
b
: to free from moral or ceremonial defilement
2
a
: to cause evacuation from
purge the bowels
b(1)
: to make free of something unwanted
purge a manhole of gas
purge yourself of fear
(2)
: to free (something, such as a boiler) of sediment or relieve (something, such as a steam pipe) of trapped air by bleeding
c(1)
: to rid (a nation, a political party, etc.) by a purge
(2)
: to get rid of
the leaders had been purged
purger
noun
Did you know?
In some cultures, a ritual bath or prayer is performed to purge guilt or evil spirits. The Minoans of ancient Crete may have used human sacrifice as a way of purging the entire community, which is fine for the community but rough on the victims. In many cultures, people periodically purge themselves physically—that is, clean out their digestive tracts—by taking strong laxatives; this used to be a popular springtime ritual, and herbal purgatives were readily available.
Synonyms
Examples of purge in a Sentence
Verb
High-ranking officials were purged from the company following the merger.
a day on which the faithful are expected to purge themselves of their sins through prayer and fasting
Recent Examples on the Web
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024
But while some former officials fear that Mr. Trump, if elected again, would try to weaken the agencies or undermine their independence by installing loyalists and purging career officials, others are not so sure.
—Alan Feuer, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Taylor Swift’s catalog of music has returned to TikTok, just a few months after it was purged alongside other popular artists represented by Universal Music Group (UMG).
—Mia Sato, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2024
Based on the latest numbers from the Secretary of State, more than 25% or one in four voters have been purged.
—USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
What Lazar didn't stop doing was staying positive and purging his life from thoughts and feelings that don't service his healing.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
Environment and health activists celebrate the move as a monumental moment in the decades-long fight to purge the toxic chemicals from people’s bodies and their environments.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 12 Apr. 2024
Some of the Canes’ roster purging likely will come on the offensive line.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Related Articles Google to purge billions of files containing personal data in settlement of Chrome privacy case
Gmail revolutionized email 20 years ago today.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
Evan S. Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
In both cases, the accusations of wrongdoing are also suspected by critics to be a tool for political purges.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Not least since the purge of two Presidents amid graft allegations in just one year has already raised unwelcome scrutiny on official malfeasance.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The use of berberine has also been linked to the purge of other microorganisms that can create buildup, including bacteria and parasites.
—Michael Carroll, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The sweeping anti-corruption campaign Beijing has embarked on, purges of the country’s military and the disappearance of leading business figures all hint at a government seeking to manage significant risk.
—Dan Murphy, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2024
In truth, the party portion of the purge was likely already in motion—quietly, far from view, and for another, earlier scandal.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Around the three- to six-week mark, another potential side effect that can strike is the tretinoin purge, where the medication accelerates cell turnover and essentially pushes any looming breakouts to the surface, Dr. Sanghvi says.
—Krissy Brady, SELF, 2 Apr. 2024
To older workers, the purge is both a reminder of the dotcom bust, and a new frontier.
—Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024
Verb
Then another batch of former starters, talents such as Xavien Howard, Jerome Baker and Emmanuel Ogbah were purged to clear salary space.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024
But while some former officials fear that Mr. Trump, if elected again, would try to weaken the agencies or undermine their independence by installing loyalists and purging career officials, others are not so sure.
—Alan Feuer, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Taylor Swift’s catalog of music has returned to TikTok, just a few months after it was purged alongside other popular artists represented by Universal Music Group (UMG).
—Mia Sato, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2024
Based on the latest numbers from the Secretary of State, more than 25% or one in four voters have been purged.
—USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
What Lazar didn't stop doing was staying positive and purging his life from thoughts and feelings that don't service his healing.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
Environment and health activists celebrate the move as a monumental moment in the decades-long fight to purge the toxic chemicals from people’s bodies and their environments.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 12 Apr. 2024
Some of the Canes’ roster purging likely will come on the offensive line.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Related Articles Google to purge billions of files containing personal data in settlement of Chrome privacy case
Gmail revolutionized email 20 years ago today.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
Noun
His current purge of military and defense industry officials linked to China’s cherished strategic rocket forces—more than a dozen men and counting—reflects his confidence in his position and his commitment to modernize the military.
—Evan S. Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
In both cases, the accusations of wrongdoing are also suspected by critics to be a tool for political purges.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Not least since the purge of two Presidents amid graft allegations in just one year has already raised unwelcome scrutiny on official malfeasance.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The use of berberine has also been linked to the purge of other microorganisms that can create buildup, including bacteria and parasites.
—Michael Carroll, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The sweeping anti-corruption campaign Beijing has embarked on, purges of the country’s military and the disappearance of leading business figures all hint at a government seeking to manage significant risk.
—Dan Murphy, The Conversation, 1 Mar. 2024
In truth, the party portion of the purge was likely already in motion—quietly, far from view, and for another, earlier scandal.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Around the three- to six-week mark, another potential side effect that can strike is the tretinoin purge, where the medication accelerates cell turnover and essentially pushes any looming breakouts to the surface, Dr. Sanghvi says.
—Krissy Brady, SELF, 2 Apr. 2024
To older workers, the purge is both a reminder of the dotcom bust, and a new frontier.
—Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'purge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near purge
Cite this Entry
“Purge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purge. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
purge
1 of 2 verb
purged; purging
1
: to make clean
2
: to have or cause strong and usually repeated emptying of the bowels
purge
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of purging
2
: something that purges
Medical Definition
purge
1 of 2 verb
purged; purging
1
: to cause evacuation from (as the bowels) or of or from the bowels of
drugs that purge the bowels
purged the patient with a cathartic
2
: to free (itself) of suspended matter usually by sedimentation
—used of a liquid
Legal Definition
purge
transitive verb
purged; purging
1
: to clear (as oneself or another) of guilt
purged himself of contempt
2
: to become no longer guilty of
purge the contempt
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