eliminate

verb

elim·​i·​nate i-ˈli-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce eliminate (audio)
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 adjective
eliminator noun

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 And the owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and just eliminated Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles all made the latest annual Forbes 400 list released Tuesday, ranking them among the richest people in America. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 From there, Jordan Heller was eliminated ahead of the Final Three. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 3 Oct. 2024 And third, eliminating waste streams to landfill through opportunities to divert, donate, and upcycle. Kate Gaertner, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024 His administration eliminated a financial penalty for individuals who fail to maintain health insurance coverage, a significant provision in the federal law. Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eliminate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eliminate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of eliminate was in 1628

Dictionary Entries Near eliminate

Cite this Entry

“Eliminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eliminate. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

eliminate

verb
elim·​i·​nate i-ˈlim-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce eliminate (audio)
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 adjective
eliminator noun

Medical Definition

eliminate

transitive verb
elim·​i·​nate -ˌnāt How to pronounce eliminate (audio)
eliminated; eliminating
: to expel (as waste) from the living body

More from Merriam-Webster on eliminate

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