Definition of purge
purged
;purging
transitive verb
1a : to clear of guiltb : to free from moral or ceremonial defilement
2a : to cause evacuation from purge the bowelsb (1) : to make free of something unwanted purge a manhole of gas purge yourself of fear (2) : to free (something, such as a boiler) of sediment or relieve (something, such as a steam pipe) of trapped air by bleedingc (1) : to rid (a nation, a political party, etc.) by a purge (2) : to get rid of the leaders had been purged
intransitive verb
1 : to become purged
2 : to have or produce frequent evacuations
3 : to cause purgation
purger
nounPeople Are Reading
Examples of purge in a Sentence
High-ranking officials were purged from the company following the merger.
a day on which the faithful are expected to purge themselves of their sins through prayer and fasting
Recent Examples of purge from the Web
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Not since the 1980s has someone being groomed in this way been so unceremoniously purged.
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At $3 billion, the tunnels would cost much more than the other alternatives, officials said, and would require hefty operating expenses for extensive ventilation systems to purge auto exhaust and smoke from traffic emergencies.
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Any officer who is honest or an opponent of Maduro is likely to have been purged from its top ranks.
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The deer pens in Fort Collins experienced a similar phenomenon — a new generation of sick elk — despite efforts to purge the soil of deadly prions.
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Purge, take two By July 25, 2016, Kardashian once again purges his Instagram of all traces of his baby mama.
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Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer, who spent a fruitful decade at Porsche, aspires to purge the winged-B brand’s stodginess through participation in GT3 road racing and by appealing to a younger clientele with more agile products.
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Credit scoring company FICO estimates that 6 to 7 percent of people who have FICO scores will have a tax lien or civil judgment purged from their records.
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By then, data from December had already been purged.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'purge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
In some cultures, a ritual bath or prayer is performed to purge guilt or evil spirits. The Minoans of ancient Crete may have used human sacrifice as a way of purging the entire community, which is fine for the community but rough on the victims. In many cultures, people periodically purge themselves physically—that is, clean out their digestive tracts—by taking strong laxatives; this used to be a popular springtime ritual, and herbal purgatives were readily available.
Origin and Etymology of purge
Middle English, from Anglo-French purger, from Latin purigare, purgare to purify, purge, from purus pure + -igare (akin to agere to drive, do) — more at act
purge
Definition of purge
Recent Examples of purge from the Web
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The New York Jets released linebacker David Harris earlier this month in their purge of veterans.
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International pressure has to be maintained until the Chechen and Russian authorities acknowledge this purge and other crimes against the population and take meaningful steps to bring those who are found responsible to justice.
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The debate took place in the ANC committee late Saturday in Pretoria, after weeks of mounting pressure on Zuma following his March 31 decision to remove Pravin Gordhan as finance minister in a cabinet purge.
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The purge has been mainly directed at followers of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom Turkish authorities have called the mastermind of the coup attempt.
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Sen. Will Kraus, a Lee’s Summit Republican, was responsible for the amendment that implemented a six-month data purge.
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The purge in Los Angeles last year fanned promoters out into the dusty hinterlands in search of somewhere to put down stakes.
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But most of the purges were to do with bureaucracy, not with learning.
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America's post-party Puritanical purges have always lasted longer than its hedonistic binges.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'purge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of purge
1593
PURGE Defined for English Language Learners
purge
playDefinition of purge for English Language Learners
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: to remove people from an area, country, organization, etc., often in a violent and sudden way
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: to cause something to leave the body
purge
Definition of purge for English Language Learners
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: the often violent and sudden removal of people from an area, country, organization, etc.
PURGE Defined for Kids
Definition of purge for Students
purged
;purging
1 : to get rid of Ineffective workers were purged from the company.
2 : to rid of unwanted things or people The heir alone would be able to … purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic. — J. K. Rowling, Chamber of Secrets
Definition of purge for Students
1 : an act or instance of ridding of what is unwanted
2 : the removal of members thought to be treacherous or disloyal a purge of party leaders
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of purge
purged
;purging
1
transitive verb
: to cause evacuation from (as the bowels) or of or from the bowels of drugs that purge the bowels purged the patient with a cathartic2: to free (itself) of suspended matter usually by sedimentation—used of a liquid
1
intransitive verb
: to become purged2: to have or produce frequent evacuations
3: to cause purgation
Law Dictionary
purge
playLegal Definition of purge
purged
purging
1 : to clear (as oneself or another) of guilt purged himself of contempt
2 : to become no longer guilty of purge the contempt
Learn More about purge
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for purge Spanish Central: Translation of purge Nglish: Translation of purge for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of purge for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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