as in to censor
to remove objectionable parts from
the newspaper had to expurgate the expletive-laden speech that the criminal made upon being sentenced to life imprisonment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expurgate
The movie’s climactic punch line was repeatedly expurgated and reinstated during previews.
—
J. Hoberman, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2016
J. Hoberman, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expurgate
censor
Verb
-
Schomburg’s dedication to collecting represents an enduring tradition of resistance to the forces that censor, sanitize, and constrain stories about the past.—
Laura E. Helton,
Literary Hub,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The suspension was rescinded after massive public backlash, with politicians from both sides of the aisle calling it a government attempt to censor free speech.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expurgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expurgate. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
