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

After Mexico were eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, De Luisa did not seek re-election. —Paul Tenorio, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024

President Joe Biden dared his Republican successor this week to eliminate his signature law bringing clean-energy manufacturing projects across the country, including GOP-leaning states and congressional districts. —Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

The vaccine, which was invented in 1955, eliminated polio in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024

Perez Construction advocates for environmentally sustainable renovation practices and is a part of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, an organization committed to eliminating fossil fuels in buildings. —Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 13 Dec. 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