Library / English Dictionary

EXTERMINATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Kill en masse; kill on a large scale; kill many

Example:

Hitler wanted to exterminate the Jews, Gypsies, Communists, and homosexuals of Europe

Synonyms:

exterminate; kill off

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "exterminate" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to exterminate the prisoners

Derivation:

exterminator (someone who exterminates (especially someone whose occupation is the extermination of troublesome rodents and insects))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Destroy completely, as if down to the roots

Example:

root out corruption

Synonyms:

eradicate; exterminate; extirpate; root out; uproot

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "exterminate" is one way to...):

destroy; destruct (do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

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