as in to erase
to destroy all traces of
time and the weather have expunged any evidence that a thriving community once existed here
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expunge
In recent years, clean slate laws have dominated criminal justice reform, focusing on sealing or expunging eligible records.
—
Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
But how many of them — like our old friend the Snake Oil Salesman — willingly gave all of that up for the chance to expunge their lifetimes of trauma?
—Jack King, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
In 2021, an Alabama family court judge granted Colvin's petition to expunge her record.
—Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Rinehart said that any charges related to those and other incidents may have been sealed or expunged.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expunge
Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
But how many of them — like our old friend the Snake Oil Salesman — willingly gave all of that up for the chance to expunge their lifetimes of trauma?
—Jack King, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
In 2021, an Alabama family court judge granted Colvin's petition to expunge her record.
—Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Rinehart said that any charges related to those and other incidents may have been sealed or expunged.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expunge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expunge
Verb
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Cook County has also had a separate program to erase medical debt.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This administration is literally erasing Black and Transgender people from society.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These four novels create a convincing, wrenching, kaleidoscopic picture of the range and repetitions of the most fatal kind of love; the sort of love that allows nothing else to grow around it, that eradicates all dignity; a love which, in order to be completed, must be told.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
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Because of these and other factors, the program to eradicate coca farming in Colombia failed, and production exploded.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In a similar move, Dissanayake's government abolished perks provided to former presidents in September in response to popular demand.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
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The holiday first made it to the states when French explorers settled in New Orleans, and the celebrations stuck until the Spanish gained control of Louisiana and abolished the carnival.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Shipwreck hunters have been searching the lakes with more urgency in recent years out of concerns that invasive quagga mussels are slowly destroying wrecks.—
Todd Richmond,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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However, archaeologists faced a significant challenge—how to penetrate its secrets without destroying it in the process?—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expunge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expunge. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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