Synonym Chooser

How does the verb exterminate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of exterminate are eradicate, extirpate, and uproot. While all these words mean "to effect the destruction or abolition of something," exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

When is eradicate a more appropriate choice than exterminate?

The meanings of eradicate and exterminate largely overlap; however, eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

When is it sensible to use extirpate instead of exterminate?

The words extirpate and exterminate can be used in similar contexts, but extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

When might uproot be a better fit than exterminate?

In some situations, the words uproot and exterminate are roughly equivalent. However, uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exterminate During those events, glaciers spread across much of the world’s surface and probably exterminated plenty of life. Douglas Fox, Scientific American, 21 Oct. 2024 The move comes after the state in 2023 reintroduced gray wolves, which were exterminated from Colorado in the 1940s through hunting, trapping and poisoning because the wolves had been targeting cattle and livestock. Mitchell Willetts, Sacramento Bee, 12 Jan. 2025 Most of those are not killed by the avian flu itself; rather, any time there’s a single detection of the disease at a poultry facility, all of the birds are exterminated, often with gruesome methods, like literally overheating them to death with industrial heaters. Bryan Walsh, Vox, 30 Dec. 2024 The cost to exterminate termites can vary depending on several factors, including the size of the infestation, the type of termites, the treatment method used, and the size of the property. Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for exterminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exterminate
Verb
  • In places where measles have largely been eradicated, cases have been spread by travelers from other countries.
    ASSOCIATED PRESS, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Or for whatever reason, your particular brand of BV or yeast may just need a stronger or longer dose of meds to eradicate.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The footage was erased but during an investigation the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau was able to recover it.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2025
  • However, the fact the show includes Laurie’s Christianity while simultaneously erasing a scene featuring a trans character hints at Disney’s embrace of a cultural shift towards traditional conservatism during the second Trump administration.
    Abby Monteil, Them, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the current administration under President Trump has moved to abolish federal DEI programs.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 28 Feb. 2025
  • That was weeks after the end of the U.S. Civil War but months before the 13th Amendment abolished slavery nationwide.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • This is a major U-turn from Riot, after completely revamping the rewards system at the start of the year and being destroyed by fans for it.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Lost in a sea of ash: When wildfire destroys a home — and a loved one’s urn — the search begins.
    Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exterminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exterminate. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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