purge

1 of 2

verb

purged; purging

transitive verb

1
a
: to clear of guilt
b
: to free from moral or ceremonial defilement
2
a
: to cause evacuation from
purge the bowels
b(1)
: to make free of something unwanted
purge a manhole of gas
purge yourself of fear
(2)
: to free (something, such as a boiler) of sediment or relieve (something, such as a steam pipe) of trapped air by bleeding
c(1)
: to rid (a nation, a political party, etc.) by a purge
(2)
: to get rid of
the leaders had been purged

intransitive verb

1
: to become purged
2
: to have or produce frequent evacuations
3
: to cause purgation
purger noun

purge

2 of 2

noun

1
: something that purges
especially : purgative
2
a
: an act or instance of purging
b
: the removal of elements or members regarded as undesirable and especially as treacherous or disloyal

Did you know?

In some cultures, a ritual bath or prayer is performed to purge guilt or evil spirits. The Minoans of ancient Crete may have used human sacrifice as a way of purging the entire community, which is fine for the community but rough on the victims. In many cultures, people periodically purge themselves physically—that is, clean out their digestive tracts—by taking strong laxatives; this used to be a popular springtime ritual, and herbal purgatives were readily available.

Examples of purge in a Sentence

Verb High-ranking officials were purged from the company following the merger. a day on which the faithful are expected to purge themselves of their sins through prayer and fasting
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
In 2022, after acquiring the social network, Musk infamously purged Twitter’s ranks and fired 80 percent of its employees in the first six months, and then made a series of management decisions that ultimately threw the company into further financial disarray. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024 The ruling is a blow to the Biden administration after the Department of Justice convinced lower courts to halt the voter roll purge so close to the election. Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
The military and the civil service are unlikely to take any provocative action that would trigger, let alone justify, such a purge. Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin's purge of his top military officials continued with the arrest of Major General Mirza Mirzaev. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for purge 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French purger, from Latin purigare, purgare to purify, purge, from purus pure + -igare (akin to agere to drive, do) — more at act

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of purge was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near purge

Cite this Entry

“Purge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purge. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

purge

1 of 2 verb
purged; purging
1
: to make clean
2
: to have or cause strong and usually repeated emptying of the bowels

purge

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of purging
2
: something that purges

Medical Definition

purge

1 of 2 verb
purged; purging

transitive verb

1
: to cause evacuation from (as the bowels) or of or from the bowels of
drugs that purge the bowels
purged the patient with a cathartic
2
: to free (itself) of suspended matter usually by sedimentation
used of a liquid

intransitive verb

1
: to become purged
2
: to have or produce frequent evacuations
3
: to cause purgation

purge

2 of 2 noun
1
: something that purges
especially : purgative
2
: an act or instance of purging

Legal Definition

purge

transitive verb
purged; purging
1
: to clear (as oneself or another) of guilt
purged himself of contempt
2
: to become no longer guilty of
purge the contempt

More from Merriam-Webster on purge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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