as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of
the triumph of modern medicine in extirpating certain diseases
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Recent Examples of extirpate
Mountain lions were native to Arkansas until about 1920, when they were extirpated from the state through unregulated hunting and habitat loss.
—
Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 9 Oct. 2025
But by the 1930s, the apex predators had been extirpated from the area, largely due to hunting, government eradication programs and habitat loss.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025
While both black and brown bears can be found in abundance during a visit, the park made waves in 1995 with the reintroduction of gray wolves, an iconic species that was extirpated from the region in the early 20th century.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Wildlife officials have collared a dozen gray wolves in Northern California in an effort to better understand and manage the species that has made a comeback in the state after being extirpated a century ago.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extirpate
Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 9 Oct. 2025
But by the 1930s, the apex predators had been extirpated from the area, largely due to hunting, government eradication programs and habitat loss.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025
While both black and brown bears can be found in abundance during a visit, the park made waves in 1995 with the reintroduction of gray wolves, an iconic species that was extirpated from the region in the early 20th century.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Wildlife officials have collared a dozen gray wolves in Northern California in an effort to better understand and manage the species that has made a comeback in the state after being extirpated a century ago.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extirpate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extirpate
Verb
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His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response.—
Eric McDaniel,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
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Our hope is that, over time, this app will help eradicate bad brushing habits to improve our overall dental health.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After Jake Cronenworth walked to start the sixth and was erased on Ramón Laureano’s fielder’s choice grounder, Tatis grounded a single through the left side to give the Padres runners at first and second.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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Those charges were ultimately dropped and were supposed to be erased from public disclosure, the lawsuit said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two weeks later, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile in Iraq and led a drive to abolish the monarchy and proclaim an Islamic government.—
Jeffrey Fields,
The Conversation,
4 Apr. 2026
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The clock ran out on a bill aimed at moving Georgia to a new time zone, ending supporters’ hopes of abolishing the chore of changing the clocks twice per year.—
Caleb Groves,
AJC.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Toxins build up and start to destroy the kidneys and liver.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Renowned for its beauty and ability to attract butterflies, butterfly bush (Buddleia) can spread quickly and outcompete and destroy native plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extirpate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extirpate. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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