Meaning & use

eradicate

verb·Academic

To eliminate something completely, especially something harmful or undesirable.

See it in a sentence

The vaccination campaign helped eradicate smallpox worldwide by the year 1980.

The new filtration system was designed to eradicate bacteria from the water supply.

A note on using this word

Eradicate implies total, permanent removal, so it is used for large-scale problems like disease or poverty rather than small, everyday tasks.

Words with a similar meaning

eliminateabolishwipe out

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

establishintroduce

Make it your own

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