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

Since a chastening defeat to Coco Gauff in Toronto in 2022, Sabalenka has completely remade her serve, eliminating the sprees of double faults that used to pepper her matches. —Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025

That hearing is for Senate Bill 5, which would eliminate a unique provision of Colorado law. —The Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2025

The memo calls for eliminating interest subsidies, as well, for borrowers currently enrolled in school. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025

Also, reducing student debt relief, eliminating itemized deductions and imposing a 75-cent fee on delivery orders from large retailers, such as DoorDash and Amazon. —Rebecca Pryor, Baltimore Sun, 24 Jan. 2025

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