purged; purging
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
purger
noun
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.
Synonyms
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
Kim Tingley Caity Weaver Sterry Butcher Lulu Garcia-Navarro Kwame Anthony Appiah Kwame Anthony Appiah Yotam Ottolenghi Elizabeth Nelson Andrew Willett John Hodgman, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2024
In the primaries that followed, the three state leaders began a complex and somewhat uncoordinated campaign to purge Republicans in the relatively independent state House who had defied them on Paxton and vouchers.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024
Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 6 Nov. 2024
In addition to blocking further purges, U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles had ordered the state to restore the registrations of those canceled since Aug. 7 because federal law prohibits voter purges within 90 days of an election when voters may not have enough time to fix errors.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
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Verb
One City’s Secret to Happiness: The Annual Burning of a 50-Foot Effigy
Every year, Santa Fe incinerates a giant puppet of Zozobra — a ritual meant to purge anxiety and promote a reset.
—Kim Tingley Caity Weaver Sterry Butcher Lulu Garcia-Navarro Kwame Anthony Appiah Kwame Anthony Appiah Yotam Ottolenghi Elizabeth Nelson Andrew Willett John Hodgman, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2024
In the primaries that followed, the three state leaders began a complex and somewhat uncoordinated campaign to purge Republicans in the relatively independent state House who had defied them on Paxton and vouchers.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
At the same time, top Trump advisers tell TIME, there will be a massive purge of the federal bureaucracy.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 6 Nov. 2024
In addition to blocking further purges, U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles had ordered the state to restore the registrations of those canceled since Aug. 7 because federal law prohibits voter purges within 90 days of an election when voters may not have enough time to fix errors.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for purge
Dictionary Entries Near purge
Cite this Entry
“Purge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purge. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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 noun1
: an act or instance of purging
2
: something that purges
Medical Definition
purge
1 of 2 verb
purged; purging
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
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
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