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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweep (away)
Verb
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But advocates say eradicating the Iranian nuclear threat and weakening the regime is in America's national interests because Tehran is a significant destabilizing force in the Middle East, where the United States has key allies and partners, such as Israel and Qatar.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 June 2025 -
Although the red autumn fruits with yellow casings make a lovely Thanksgiving wreath, this woody vine is difficult to manage and eradicate.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Clark tried to erase the memories of his disappointment at Oakmont with an opening round 6-under 64 on Thursday, putting him tied for second in the early afternoon.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
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But the suddenly lukewarm Rockies, who seemed primed to erase the 2024 Sox from the record books, entered Wednesday’s game against Washington with a three-game win streak and a 7-7 record in their last 14 games.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Lethal injection is the only method of execution after firing squads were abolished in 2011.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
26 June 2025
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Beginning in the 1950s, between 20 million and 25 million households gained ownership of plots of land through the government’s scheme to abolish the colonial-era zamindari system of tax-collecting landlords.—
Michael Albertus,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Kanye West fired multiple PR firms before his antisemitic meltdowns destroyed billion-dollar partnerships with Adidas and Gap.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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But the conflict has only escalated, with Russia’s launching some of its most extensive strikes in a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of casualties, and Ukraine’s carrying out the audacious Operation Spiderweb drone attack, which damaged or destroyed strategic aircraft inside Russia.—
Adam Rasmi,
Time,
20 June 2025
Verb
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The Spanish crown then imposed its language on the subjects, wiping out or nearly wiping out other languages in the process.—
Carey Baraka,
The Dial,
26 June 2025
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For one thing, the same nuclear powers these countries are seeking to deter—China, Russia, and North Korea—could decide to wipe out any emerging nuclear programs in a preventive attack.—
VIPIN NARANG,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Sweep (away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweep%20%28away%29. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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