expurgate

verb
UK: /ˈekspɜːɡeɪt/
US: /ˈekspɜːrɡeɪt/

  1. To remove words or ideas that are considered offensive or unsuitable from a book, film, etc.

    1. They had to expurgate the book before it was sold to schools.
    2. The editor chose to expurgate several scenes that were deemed too violent for television broadcast.

  2. To cleanse or purify; to remove objectionable parts or content, often to make something acceptable.

    1. The report was expurgated to protect the company's image.
    2. Critics argued that expurgating the historical record distorts our understanding of the past.

Synonyms

censor edit purge sanitize bowdlerize cut
expurgate adjective

  1. Having been censored or purified; containing omissions of questionable material.

    1. This is the expurgated version of the movie.
    2. The expurgated transcript was released to the public to avoid political scandal.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "expurgate" in English means: To remove words or ideas that are considered offensive or unsuitable from a book, film, etc., To cleanse or purify; to remove objectionable parts or content, often to make something acceptable..

The phonetic transcription of "expurgate" is /ˈekspɜːɡeɪt/ in British English and /ˈekspɜːrɡeɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "expurgate": censor, edit, purge, sanitize, bowdlerize, cut.

Example usage of "expurgate": "They had to expurgate the book before it was sold to schools.". More examples on the page.