exterminate
verb
Did you know?
Originally, to exterminate something was to banish it or drive it away. And it is this meaning that can be found in the Latin origin of "exterminate." "Exterminate" comes from "exterminatus," the past participle of exterminare, meaning "to drive beyond the boundaries." The Latin word exterminare was formed from the prefix ex- ("out of" or "outside") and "terminus" ("boundary"). Not much more than a century after its introduction to English, "exterminate" came to denote destroying or utterly putting an end to something. And that's the use with which the word is usually employed today.
Examples of exterminate in a Sentence
Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
That means the Rams have a reasonable path to the auto-bid in Pittsburgh, which would exterminate any lingering bubble concerns.
—Jim Root, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
In the game, when a player kills multiple opponents without also dying, they are rewarded with the ability to conduct a missile strike to exterminate an opposing team.
—Casey Ryan Kelly, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
Orion wanted desperately to exterminate this nasty little hare, but just like Bugs Bunny, Lepus was just too clever and fast.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exterminate
Cite this Entry
“Exterminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exterminate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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exterminate
verb
