eradicate

verb erad·i·cate \ i-ˈra-də-ˌkāt \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of eradicate

eradicated; eradicating

transitive verb

1 : to do away with as completely as if by pulling up by the roots

programs to eradicate illiteracy

2 : to pull up by the roots

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eradicable

play \i-ˈra-di-kə-bəl\ adjective

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eradication

play \i-ˌra-də-ˈkā-shən\ noun

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eradicator

play \i-ˈra-di-ˌkā-tər\ noun

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Examples of eradicate in a Sentence

The disease has now been completely eradicated.
His ambition is to eradicate poverty in his community.

Recent Examples of eradicate from the Web

Both Mr Kim and his successor, Kim Dae-jung, entered office pledging to eradicate corruption, but both saw their sons convicted of influence-peddling during their time in office.

— The Economist, "Cases against two ex-presidents of South Korea fits an alarming pattern," 5 Apr. 2018
Kaegi promised to eradicate the regressivity that’s built into the assessment system.

— ben joravsky, Chicago Reader, "Politics Chicago's political psychosis has me paging Dr. Freud after last week's primary," 27 Mar. 2018
In the pilot, a new job takes Barry out to Los Angeles, where he is supposed to eradicate a personal trainer who has been sleeping with the wife of a Chechen mobster named Goran (a cartoonish performance from Glenn Fleshler).

— rachel syme, The New Republic, "HBO’s "Barry" refreshes elements of noir, as a hitman dreams of Hollywood.," 23 Mar. 2018
The puzzle hasn’t completely eradicated our television watching.

— anne roderique-jones, SELF, "5 Surprising Things That Happened When My Husband and I Gave Up TV for Jigsaw Puzzles," 18 Mar. 2018
Former President Jimmy Carter's organization has led global efforts in eradicating Guinea worm.

— moni basu, CNN, "South Sudan reaches milestone in eradicating debilitating Guinea worm," 21 Mar. 2018
In addition, there is no hard evidence to suggest that applying heat or cold will eradicate joint pain when bad weather hits.

— heidi mitchell, WSJ, "Can Achy Joints Predict the Weather?," 19 Mar. 2018
The insect was reported as eradicated in Batavia and Stonelick Townships in Clermont County.

— sheila vilvens, Cincinnati.com, "Government celebrates clearing 5 miles of beetle infestation... out of 60 quarantined miles," 19 Mar. 2018
Republicans have offered up no substantive new legislation, and are instead complaining that what Democrats present will not eradicate 100 percent of future mass shootings, as if that were the legislative standard.

— jill filipovic, Cosmopolitan, "Republican Lawmakers Are Human Shrug Emojis," 27 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eradicate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Root of eradicate is, Literally, Root

Given that eradicate first meant "to pull up by the roots," it's not surprising that the root of eradicate is, in fact, "root." Eradicate, which first turned up in English in the 16th century, comes from eradicatus, the past participle of the Latin verb eradicare. Eradicare, in turn, can be traced back to the Latin word radix, meaning "root" or "radish." Although eradicate began life as a word for literal uprooting, by the mid-17th century it had developed a metaphorical application to removing things the way one might yank an undesirable weed up by the roots. Other descendants of radix in English include radical and radish. Even the word root itself is related; it comes from the same ancient word that gave Latin radix.

Origin and Etymology of eradicate

Latin eradicatus, past participle of eradicare, from e- + radic-, radix root — more at root

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1532

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eradicate Synonyms

Synonyms

abolish, annihilate, black out, blot out, cancel, clean (up), efface, erase, expunge, exterminate, extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, root (out), rub out, snuff (out), stamp (out), sweep (away), wipe out;

Near Antonyms

conserve, preserve, protect, save;

build, construct, create, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, shape;

fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renew, renovate, repair, restore, revamp;

dismantle, flatten, mow (down), raze, tear down;

ruin, total, waste, wreck;

blast, blow up, dash, dynamite, smash;

atomize, consume, devour, dissolve, fragment, powder, pulverize, shatter, splinter;

doom, finish, kill, kill off, terminate, zap;

cancel, cut, discard, ditch, eject, excise, expel, jettison, oust, throw out;

Synonym Discussion of eradicate

exterminate, extirpate, eradicate, uproot mean to effect the destruction or abolition of something. exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.