expunge
/ɪkˈspʌn(d)ʒ
/ /ɛkˈspʌn(d)ʒ/verb [with object]
Obliterate or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant): the kind of man that could expunge an unsatisfactory incident from his memory...
- Provisionally, they seemed to agree, provided all religious references were expunged from the script.
- Hector had expunged any reference to his health when issuing his blue copy.
- He's not just trying to remove the Treaty from law, but expunge it from public consciousness altogether.
Synonyms
erase, remove, delete, rub out, wipe out, efface;
cross out, strike out, blot out, blank out;
cancel, annul, destroy, obliterate, eradicate, extinguish, eliminate, abolish, annihilate, extirpate
Derivatives
expunction
/ /ɛkˈspʌŋ(k)ʃ(ə)n / noun ...- He is seeking expunction of the remarks made against him by the single judge.
expungement
- Funk suggests two reforms to replace expungement: First, nonviolent juvenile offenders should pay restitution to their victims instead of going to juvenile detention centers.
- For somebody that's been wrongfully convicted, there should be an automatic expungement on the record, no question about it.
- Any application for expungement would be sent to the police, and they would have an opportunity to oppose the application for any of the reasons mentioned in terms of the person's prior convictions.
expunger
Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin expungere 'mark for deletion by means of points', from ex- 'out' + pungere 'to prick'.