eliminate

verb

elim·​i·​nate i-ˈli-mə-ˌnāt 

eliminated; eliminating

transitive verb

1

a

: to put an end to or get rid of : remove

eliminate errors

b

: to remove from consideration

eliminate someone as a suspect

c

: to remove from further competition by defeating

the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs

2

: to expel (waste) from the living body

3

mathematics : to cause to disappear by combining two or more equations

eliminate an unknown quantity

intransitive verb

: to expel waste from the living body

eliminative

i-ˈli-mə-ˌnā-tiv 

adjective

eliminator

i-ˈli-mə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• exclude
• prevent
• ban
• prohibit

Examples of eliminate in a Sentence

Doctors seek to eliminate the causes of the epidemic.

The body naturally eliminates waste products.

The company plans to eliminate more than 2,000 jobs in the coming year.

She's trying to eliminate fatty foods from her diet.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2011, the Wisconsin State Legislature altered the property tax levy formula limits, eliminating the 2% ceiling that local municipalities could draw from taxpayers in places where new construction couldn't justify a larger levy increase. —Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025

For a Heat team that has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, a rejuvenated Wiggins is among the things that Miami is relying on to take a step forward this season. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025

But most important, its vacuum design is quiet, easy to use, and eliminates mess. —Christine Persaud, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025

With the French Broad River overtaking downtown, every business there was eliminated. —Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin eliminatus, past participle of eliminare, from e- + limin-, limen threshold

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Rhymes for eliminate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

eliminate

verb

elim·​i·​nate i-ˈlim-ə-ˌnāt 

eliminated; eliminating

1

a

: to get rid of : remove

b

: to remove from further competition by defeating

2

: to expel from the living body

eliminative

-ˌnāt-iv 

adjective

eliminator

-ˌnāt-ər 

noun

Medical Definition

eliminate

transitive verb

elim·​i·​nate -ˌnāt 

eliminated; eliminating

: to expel (as waste) from the living body