Meaning & use

purge

verb·Academic

Last updated

To rid something of unwanted elements, people, or feelings, often forcefully or completely.

See it in a sentence

The new CEO purged the company of managers loyal to the old regime.

She spent the weekend purging her closet of clothes she never wore.

A note on using this word

Purge can refer to a political or organizational cleanout, a physical or emotional cleansing, or simply decluttering.

Words with a similar meaning

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Another way to use it

2. noun

An occasion when a group or organization removes people considered unwanted or disloyal.

The dictator ordered a purge of anyone suspected of opposing him.

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