eliminate

verb

elim·​i·​nate i-ˈli-mə-ˌnāt 

eliminated; eliminating

transitive verb

1

a

: to put an end to or get rid of : remove

eliminate errors

b

: to remove from consideration

eliminate someone as a suspect

c

: to remove from further competition by defeating

the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs

2

: to expel (waste) from the living body

3

mathematics : to cause to disappear by combining two or more equations

eliminate an unknown quantity

intransitive verb

: to expel waste from the living body

eliminative

i-ˈli-mə-ˌnā-tiv 

adjective

eliminator

i-ˈli-mə-ˌnā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• ban
• bar
• close out
• count (out)
• debar
• except
• exclude
• freeze out
• rule out
• shut out

Examples of eliminate in a Sentence

Doctors seek to eliminate the causes of the epidemic.

The body naturally eliminates waste products.

The company plans to eliminate more than 2,000 jobs in the coming year.

She's trying to eliminate fatty foods from her diet.

Recent Examples on the Web

Efforts to eliminate or consolidate units of government have largely failed for a century, thanks in part to politicians’ instinct for self preservation, but also a fear, particularly among many in rural downstate areas, of losing their civic identity. —Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2024

Israel has since claimed to have eliminated Nasrallah’s cousin Hashem Safieddine, who was expected to step up as the organization’s central leader. —Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Oct. 2024

Israel later eliminated Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a military operation in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 16. —Greg Norman, Fox News, 25 Oct. 2024

Alyssa said, of the duel against Tatianna, before reacting with glee over the memory of RuPaul deciding to keep both queens — and asking them both to eliminate one of the remaining contestants. —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin eliminatus, past participle of eliminare, from e- + limin-, limen threshold

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Kids Definition

eliminate

verb

elim·​i·​nate i-ˈlim-ə-ˌnāt 

eliminated; eliminating

1

a

: to get rid of : remove

b

: to remove from further competition by defeating

2

: to expel from the living body

eliminative

-ˌnāt-iv 

adjective

eliminator

-ˌnāt-ər 

noun

Medical Definition

eliminate

transitive verb

elim·​i·​nate -ˌnāt 

eliminated; eliminating

: to expel (as waste) from the living body