SWEEP (AWAY) Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

sweep (away)

verb

Definition of sweep (away)

as in to eradicate

to destroy all traces of some priceless works of literature were swept away when the library at Alexandria burned

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweep (away)

Verb

The woes of airplane middle seats are soon to be eradicated for some United Airlines passengers.

— Mason Leib, ABC News, 14 July 2026
But before the thylacine was fully eradicated, 13 pups of the marsupial species were preserved in alcohol.

— Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026

Definition of eradicate

Verb

Lisa Walker-Yeager Lisa Walker-Yeager is running a campaign focused on abolishing or significantly reducing the property tax burden that residents, particularly senior citizens, have at a time when most goods and services are more expensive.

— Sofi Zeman July 16, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026
Polling found that support for abolishing ICE surged even among Republicans after the killing of the 37-year-old ICU nurse.

— Michael Loria, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Definition of abolish

Verb

But there have been no exact numbers of how many missiles and drones Iran had when the war began or how many have since been used or destroyed.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Severe droughts and searing heat across vast swathes of southern Europe destroyed large parts of the olive oil harvest, culminating in a dizzying price rally that shocked industry veterans and consumers alike.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 17 July 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

The two once presented a live demo minutes after a computer cloud crash wiped out their materials, winning anyway after Andreou pitched the product entirely from memory.

— Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 27 June 2026
Widespread flooding across Kentucky has left at least four dead Saturday, prompting dozens of rescues after heavy rains wiped out bridges, inundated roads and flooded homes, with more significant rainfall on the way.

— Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 27 June 2026

Definition of wipe out

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

sweep

sweep (away)

sweeping

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sweep (away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweep%20%28away%29. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of sweep (away)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

obdurate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes