CultureAugust 13, 2026

expunge

ik-SPUNJ

Definition

To completely erase, obliterate, or remove something, typically a memory, record, or feeling.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin word 'expungere', which originally meant to mark out or erase by pricking holes in a wax tablet.

In the news

In the context of editing a lengthy manuscript, the term implies the need to ruthlessly cut or remove unnecessary content to improve the quality of the work.

So Who Wants to Publish a 20,000-Word Essay on Great Anti-Communist Movies?

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hotair.com

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