Synonyms for expunge
Most common
All synonyms
Verb
1. Erase
erase, delete, obliterate, efface, wipe out, scratch, abolish, annihilate, do away with informal, rub out, strike out, raze, blot out, cancel, blot, strike, race, excise, sponge, eradicate, extinguish, abrogate
Other
Definitions
- v. 1
To erase or strike out.
Related words
- Word family
- expunging expunction
Forms
- Past participle
- expunged
e.g. expunged → erased, deleted, obliterated, effaced…
Choose the right word
Cancel, efface, erase, expunge, and obliterate have as their first meaning the removal of written characters or other forms of record.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- delete Please tell me how to delete my Facebook account.
- erase He used a piece of paper to erase the whiteboard.
- obliterate It's time to obliterate those walls of yours!
- efface I tried to efface the memory of her tears.
- censor Do not censor me, I am free to express my opinions.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| expunge | steady | |
| delete | rising | |
| erase | rising | |
| obliterate | steady | |
| efface | rising | |
| censor | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- race1, blot1, raze1
- 5 letters
- erase2
- 6 letters
- strike1, delete2, cancel2, sponge1, censor2, excise2, efface2
- 7 letters
- scratch1, abolish3
- 8 letters
- abrogate3
- 9 letters
- eradicate4
- 10 letters
- extinguish3, annihilate4, obliterate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (erase2 = 2 syllables).