eradicate

/ɪˈrædɪkeɪt/ · ih-RAD-ih-kaytverb

Destroy, remove, or eliminate something completely.

Use eradicate to express this relationship precisely: destroy, remove, or eliminate something completely.

What eradicate Really Means

The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.

1

Core action

Destroy, remove, or eliminate something completely.

Example

Vaccination nearly eradicated the disease.

2

Common construction

Use this expression in its normal grammatical frame so the relationship between the surrounding ideas remains explicit.

Example

The programme aims to eradicate invasive plants.

3

Reasoning effect

It tells the reader how to interpret the timing, scope, evidence, contrast, condition, or consequence in the statement.

Example

One reform cannot eradicate every form of bias.

Use eradicate Naturally

Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.

Vaccination nearly eradicated the disease.

The programme aims to eradicate invasive plants.

One reform cannot eradicate every form of bias.

Precision Matters

Eradicate overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.

eradicate

Means destroy, remove, or eliminate something completely.

vs.
perpetuate

Means cause a condition, practice, belief, or problem to continue indefinitely.

eradicate

Means destroy, remove, or eliminate something completely.

vs.
suppress

Means prevent, restrain, stop, or keep something from being expressed, revealed, or developing.

eradicate

Means destroy, remove, or eliminate something completely.

vs.
promote

Means encourage, support, or contribute to the development, progress, growth, or acceptance of something.

eradicate

Means destroy, remove, or eliminate something completely.

vs.
proliferate

Means increase, multiply, reproduce, or spread rapidly in number or amount.

Test eradicate in Context

The goal is total elimination, not partial control.

1

Health officials launched a vaccination campaign intended to ___ the virus completely.

Prepared byFirst Academy
Editorial responsibilityFirst Academy Academic Team
Updated3 August 2026
Selection and reviewRead our methodology