English Reference

Word

eradicated

Phoneticserad·i·cat·ed

US/ɪˈɹædəˌkeɪtɪd/

UK/ɪɹˈædɪkˌeɪtɪd/

Definition

adj. describing something that has been completely destroyed or removed so it can never return. It is often used for diseases or social problems that are gone forever.

adj. completely destroyed or eliminated; refers to the total removal of something undesirable. Often used as a participial adjective to describe the status of a disease or social ill.

Examples

“Smallpox is an eradicated disease.”

“Public health officials celebrated when the virus was declared eradicated in the region after years of vaccination efforts.”

“The report highlighted several once-common infections that have been effectively eradicated through rigorous international cooperation and sustained funding for preventative medicine.”

Examples

simple

“Smallpox is an eradicated disease.”

contextual

“Public health officials celebrated when the virus was declared eradicated in the region after years of vaccination efforts.”

complex

“The report highlighted several once-common infections that have been effectively eradicated through rigorous international cooperation and sustained funding for preventative medicine.”

Usage

Often follows a linking verb or appears before a noun to describe a permanent state of removal.

Real-World Examples

“When the team applied the gel to wounds in mice and pigs, they found that it eradicated more than 95 percent of the bacteria present.”
Smithsonian Magazine · 17 Jun 2026
“The duration of the cataclysm that was thought might have almost eradicated early humans was likely about 18 months total.”
Ars Technica · 9 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference