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exorcise

play
verb ex·or·cise \ ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsīz , -sər- \
variants: or less commonly exorcize

Definition of exorcise

exorcised also exorcized; exorcising also exorcizing
transitive verb
1 a :to expel (an evil spirit) by adjuration
b :to get rid of (something troublesome, menacing, or oppressive)
2 :to free of an evil spirit
—

exorciser

noun

See exorcise defined for English-language learners

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Examples of exorcise in a Sentence

  1. The movie is about a priest who tries to exorcise demons from a young girl.

  2. please exorcise that offensive word from your vocabulary

Recent Examples of exorcise from the Web

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

Origin and Etymology of exorcise

Middle English, from Anglo-French exorciscer, from Late Latin exorcizare, from Greek exorkizein, from ex- + horkizein to bind by oath, adjure, from horkos oath

exorcise Synonyms

Synonyms
cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, ditch, dump, eighty-six (or 86), discard (also exorcize), fling (off or away), jettison, junk, lay by, lose, pitch, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (off) also sluff (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload
Related Words
abandon, abdicate, desert, forsake; dismiss, kick out; abolish, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, liquidate, remove, root (out), stamp (out), wipe out
Near Antonyms
adopt, embrace, take on; employ, use, utilize; hold, hold back, keep, retain

Other Occult Terms

augury, censor, invocation, lucidity, metempsychosis, mojo, numinous, preternatural, weird, wraith

EXORCISE Defined for English Language Learners

exorcise

play
verb

Definition of exorcise for English Language Learners

  • : to force (an evil spirit) to leave

Learn More about exorcise

  1. See words that rhyme with exorcise Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for exorcise Spanish Central: Translation of exorcise Nglish: Translation of exorcise for Spanish speakers

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Examples: exorcise in a Sentence