elimination

noun

elim·​i·​na·​tion i-ˌli-mə-ˈnā-shən 

often attributive

: the act, process, or an instance of eliminating or discharging: such as

a

: the act of discharging or excreting waste products from the body

b

: the removal from a molecule of the constituents of a simpler molecule

ethylene is formed by the elimination of water from ethanol

compare addition sense 4

Examples of elimination in a Sentence

the elimination of waste products from the body

Recent Examples on the Web

Each bracket is a four-team, double-elimination format, with the winners of both pools meeting in a three-game national title series final. —Hunter Delauder, AJC.com, 7 June 2026

Cuts expected to remain include a sharp reduction in zoning investigators, the elimination of a fee waiver encouraging sidewalk repairs and cuts to the city’s bomb squad. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026

Extreme elimination diets, whether eliminating all plants, all animals, or nearly everything, work against the fundamental architecture of our physiology. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

And in a strange way, Brazil’s early elimination from that tournament 44 years ago has only added to their enduring appeal — with the team more fondly remembered than the country’s victorious sides in 1994 and 2002. —Will Jeanes, New York Times, 5 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing elimination

• process of elimination

Rhymes for elimination

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

elimination

noun

elim·​i·​na·​tion i-ˌlim-ə-ˈnā-shən 

: the act or process of eliminating or emptying: as

a

: the act of excreting or emptying waste products from the body

b

: the act or process of excluding from a match, game, or contest the losers of any round or heat

Medical Definition

elimination

noun

elim·​i·​na·​tion i-ˌlim-ə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the act of discharging or excreting waste products or foreign substances from the body

2

eliminations plural : bodily discharges including urine, feces, and vomit

3

: the removal from a molecule of the constituents of a simpler molecule

ethylene is formed by the elimination of water from ethanol