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
-
His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response.—
Eric McDaniel,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026 -
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
-
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
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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
Verb
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The Show-Me state has two Democrats in Congress and four Republicans, and a map Trump posted on social media would wipe out one Democratic seat.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Sep. 2025
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The Buckeyes benefited from a pair of penalties, including a face mask call on Colin Simmons that wiped out an incomplete pass on third-and-4.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Aug. 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 13 Apr. 2026.
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