Meaning & use
exorcised
Last updated
“exorcised” is a form of “exorcise”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitivereligion
Drove out an evil spirit from a person or place, usually through a religious ritual.
Grammar: Takes an object, often with from: the priest exorcised the spirit from the house.
Patterns
- exorcised something
- exorcised something from something
The priest exorcised the spirit that was said to haunt the old house.
In the film, a young woman is exorcised in a dark chapel.
Villagers believed the spirit had been exorcised years ago.
verbtransitivefigurative
Got rid of a painful memory, fear or unwelcome influence by facing it directly.
Grammar: Figurative; takes an object such as a ghost, demon or memory.
Patterns
- exorcised something
- exorcised the ghosts of something
She exorcised the memory of the accident by writing about it.
The team exorcised the demons of last year's defeat with a big win.
He exorcised his fear of heights by taking a skydiving class.
Word forms
| base form | exorcise |
|---|---|
| third person singular | exorcises |
| -ing form | exorcising |
Common combinations
- exorcised a demon
- The priest exorcised a demon from the boy.
- exorcised a ghost
- She felt she had exorcised a ghost from her past.
- exorcised his demons
- The singer exorcised his demons in his new album.
- exorcised the past
- He exorcised the past by visiting his old school.
- exorcised from the house
- The spirit was exorcised from the house.
Synonyms and how they differ
- banished
- Banished means sent away, usually with force or authority, without the ritual sense of exorcised.
- purged
- Purged suggests cleaning out something unwanted, such as feelings or people, while exorcised carries a spiritual image.
- cast out
- Cast out is the plain phrasal verb for driving a spirit away, but exorcised is the more specific term.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: exorcised or exercised?
exorcised vs exercised
Exercised means did physical activity or used something, while exorcised means drove out a spirit or memory.
Practice
After the funeral, he finally ____ the guilt he had carried for years.
Choose one answer.
Exorcised is the past tense of exorcise and here means got rid of a painful feeling. Exercised refers to physical activity, and exorcise is the wrong form after 'finally' with this past meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exorcised”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.