as in eradicating
to destroy all traces of
he didn't get his gambling under control until he had already wiped out his entire life savings
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Recent Examples of wiping out
Zaragoza ‘keeper Esteban Andrada was shown a red card for a rather pantomime push on Huesca captain Jorge Pulido — and reacted to the dismissal by wiping out Pulido with a distinctly un-pantomime smash to the face (above).
—
Phil Hay, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Outdoor Voices, once the toast of the category, faded into restructuring, wiping out its entire social media presence.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
At least 61,000 people living in the Gaza Strip have died in Israel’s subsequent military campaign aimed at wiping out Hamas and recovering the hostages.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
Over the past six trading sessions, Palantir shares plunged more than 17%, wiping out $73 billion in market capitalization and marking the largest drop since April.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025
The swollen creek carved a path well above its banks that morning, eventually wiping out most of the road's northbound lane over the large culvert beneath it.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The wealthy, somewhat callous protagonist (Washington here, Toshiro Mifune back in ‘63) initially balks at paying the ransom money and wiping out his business to save his friend’s son’s life.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
Antibiotics can wreak havoc on the gastrointestinal system, wiping out both good and bad bacteria and causing diarrhea.
—Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 5 Aug. 2025
Just a year ago, Congressman Mike Turner, former chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, warned that Russia is developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon capable of wiping out satellites in orbit — including GPS.
—Jerald Fritz, Baltimore Sun, 4 Aug. 2025
Phil Hay, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Outdoor Voices, once the toast of the category, faded into restructuring, wiping out its entire social media presence.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
At least 61,000 people living in the Gaza Strip have died in Israel’s subsequent military campaign aimed at wiping out Hamas and recovering the hostages.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
Over the past six trading sessions, Palantir shares plunged more than 17%, wiping out $73 billion in market capitalization and marking the largest drop since April.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025
The swollen creek carved a path well above its banks that morning, eventually wiping out most of the road's northbound lane over the large culvert beneath it.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The wealthy, somewhat callous protagonist (Washington here, Toshiro Mifune back in ‘63) initially balks at paying the ransom money and wiping out his business to save his friend’s son’s life.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
Antibiotics can wreak havoc on the gastrointestinal system, wiping out both good and bad bacteria and causing diarrhea.
—Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 5 Aug. 2025
Just a year ago, Congressman Mike Turner, former chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, warned that Russia is developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon capable of wiping out satellites in orbit — including GPS.
—Jerald Fritz, Baltimore Sun, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wiping out
Verb
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This makes prediction markets the most useful and precise tool for eradicating exposing insider trading that has ever existed—a tool Congress should rely on heavily, not legislate out of existence.—
Nic Puckrin,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In Namibia, local authorities were producing millions of tons of wood chips while eradicating an invasive bush.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Many Christian nationalists believe in erasing the boundaries between church and state, Andrew Whitehead, a professor of sociology at Indiana University Indianapolis, previously told USA TODAY.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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The first is a stretch of the second quarter, when the Wolves were erasing a 19-point deficit.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Jonathan Ruhe, fellow for American strategy at JINSA, echoed Stricker on the importance of abolishing the Iranian enrichment program.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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Abdul El-Sayed is gaining momentum in a divisive three-way Democratic primary with an uncompromising argument for clarity on progressive priorities — Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and ending US military aid to Israel.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Some had been there so long that corrosion was destroying them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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This past offseason, discussion and speculation around Major League Baseball was that the Los Angeles Dodgers would be responsible for destroying the sport and the 2027 season.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For a few minutes at each end of that window, the moon’s edge will appear to align with that of the sun, blotting out the star’s fierce light and revealing the wispy corona off to one side.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
6 Apr. 2026
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From up in the space shuttle, in 1983, astronaut Sally Ride could see the pollution blotting out her Los Angeles hometown.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wiping out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wiping%20out. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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