to wipe out
189
4.2
- phrasal verb
- /waɪp aʊt/
:
arrasar
- The wildfire threatened to wipe out the entire forest if firefighters couldn't control it.
- wipe out populations
- wipe out species
- wipe out millions
But I mean, it's going to wipe out entire industries.
- But I mean, it's going to wipe out entire industries.
- The people who claimed to be Aztec were wiped out or or enslaved.
- If we get AI engineering wrong, could it wipe out all of humanity?
- That's the sort of thing it might take to wipe out a well established habit.
- I think part of the the impact of the tsunami was just to wipe out entire villages.
- Or they could just pull the dividend, just wipe it out completely.
- The arts, film, music could all be wiped out.
Examples
-
Two days later, the entire town was wiped out by a gale force hurricane.
-
So we are trying to wipe out this virus completely.
-
But I mean, it's going to wipe out entire industries.
-
If we get AI engineering wrong, could it wipe out all of humanity?
-
The shutdown could wipe out an entire quarter of GDP growth.
-
The indigenous populations of the peninsula were largely wiped out by disease from the Spanish.
Academic text (1999) -
For example, heavy hail can wipe out a crop of wheat and other grains.
Academic text (1996) -
The economic downturn could wipe out many small businesses struggling to stay afloat.
-
Experts warn that unchecked pollution may wipe out several species of fish in the river.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Damage something so badly that it cannot be used or fixed
∞
1.6
To remove or throw away something you do not want
948
1.9
To remove something from a place or container
564
6.6
Gradually use up money or fuel
502
3.4
Remove or kill something completely so it is gone
308
3.6
To erase all data on a computer or phone so it cannot be recovered
287
2.0
To remove information like text or files so it cannot be seen
260
1.0
To empty something completely
179
1.0
To remove everything from a container or place
172
3.2
To use up resources until none are left
156
2.2
Remove all traces of something from memory or history
91
3.1
Remove all things from a place so it becomes empty
91
3.2
Empty a place or container by removing everything inside
88
3.7
Remove something so it is no longer used
85
6.6
Remove something harmful completely, for example a disease or pest
71
7.5
To destroy something completely so nothing remains
69
2.7
To finish all of something so nothing is left
68
3.7
To use up all of a supply or resource
63
7.5
To destroy completely, often killing many people
60
6.9
To destroy something completely, often on purpose
50
5.0
To use money, time, or energy for a purpose
49
6.3
To remove unwanted substances, things, or people by cleaning
44
4.8
Destroy almost all members of a group, like a type of animal or product
24
4.9
To remove stored information from a device
23
3.1
Use up money or time quickly
21
8.8
To remove all signs of something like a record or memory so it cannot be found
16
4.4
Use up money or supplies quickly and wastefully
13
6.3
To use up almost all of something so little is left
13
7.7
Kill an entire group of people or animals so none are left
10
1.8
To take things away from a place to make it tidy
9
7.7
Put an end to something or to someone's life
8
3.0
Remove things from a surface to make it empty or clean
4
8.2
To kill many people or animals
1
3.9
To destroy or carry something away completely, for example by water
1
9.9
To destroy something completely, including its root
Antonyms
How Destroyed
- NSFW
63
7.5
71
7.5
189
4.2
∞
1.0
∞
2.0
885
1.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
wipe + out
The meaning 'to completely destroy or eliminate' is directly derivable from 'wipe' (to remove/erase) combined with the particle 'out' which conveys completion or total removal; verb + particle constructions like this routinely signal thoroughness in English. A B1 learner who knows both constituents would very likely infer the MWE's meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
Wipe out comes from the simple image of wiping a table or board with a cloth until everything is gone. Because wipe plus out gives the idea of removing every last thing, it means 'to destroy completely'.