eradicate

verb

erad·​i·​cate i-ˈra-də-ˌkāt 

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

eradicable

i-ˈra-di-kə-bəl 

adjective

eradication

i-ˌra-də-ˈkā-shən 

noun

eradicator

i-ˈra-di-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

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 means, 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.

Synonyms of eradicate

• erase
• abolish
• destroy

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

exterminate cockroaches

extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

Examples of eradicate in a Sentence

The disease has now been completely eradicated.

His ambition is to eradicate poverty in his community.

Recent Examples on the Web

The quest for 500 million flies The only way the US has succeeded in eradicating screwworm is by breeding millions of flies, sterilizing them using radiation and dropping them in areas with infestations. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026

Magnus had almost entirely eradicated the type of commentary that divided fans along political and racial lines. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026

The sighting also is evidence, advocates say, of the legal protections that have helped gray wolves recover after they were nearly eradicated from the state. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026

For decades, deer had populated Santa Rosa Island, but they were eradicated from the island at the end of 2011 to restore its native ecosystem and protect its natural vegetation. — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for eradicate

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

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Kids Definition

eradicate

verb

erad·​i·​cate i-ˈrad-ə-ˌkāt 

eradicated; eradicating

: to remove by or as if by uprooting : eliminate, destroy

eradicate weeds

eradicating a disease

eradication

-ˌrad-ə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

Etymology

from Latin eradicatus, past participle of eradicare "to root out, pull up by the roots," from e-, ex- "out, forth" and radic-, radix "root" — related to radical, radish see Word History at radical