Expunge: Word Meaning, Examples, Origin & Usage in IELTS

Kasturika Samanta

5 min read

Updated On Jul 31, 2025

The word ‘expunge’ means ‘to officially remove or delete something, completely and permanently’. To help you get a better vocabulary and get a Band 9 score, discover how it is used, its history, synonyms, antonyms, and practice the provided exercises.

Meaning of Expunge
History and Origin of Expunge
Usage & Examples of Expunge
Synonyms of Expunge
Antonyms of Expunge
Exercise to Master the Meaning of Expunge

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English language learners aiming for a high band score in the IELTS exam know that strong vocabulary is not just about knowing many words; it is about choosing the right ones. One such powerful and advanced common English word used in IELTS Speaking test and the writing task is ‘expunge’. This verb carries a formal, deliberate tone and is used in an argumentative essay about historical censorship as well as while speaking about a personal experience you wish to forget.

In this blog, we will explore the meaning, origin, and formal usage of expunge, examine IELTS-specific examples, synonyms and antonyms of the word, and practice exercises to help you confidently use this impactful word in your speaking and writing.

Meaning of Expunge

Pronunciation: /ɪkˈspʌndʒ/ (both British and American)

Expunge (verb) means to erase or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant), especially from a record, memory, or document. It is often used in legal, emotional, or formal contexts.

History and Origin of Expunge

The word ‘expunge’ has Latin roots, reflecting its formal and precise tone. Originally, ‘expungere’ referred to pricking through or cancelling something in a manuscript.

Over time, it evolved into a metaphor for erasing, forgetting, or removing something completely, whether emotionally, legally, or physically.

Language	Word	Meaning
Latin	expungere	to mark for deletion, blot out
Latin Roots	ex- + pungere	out + to prick or pierce

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Usage & Examples of Expunge

The word expunge is particularly useful in IELTS Speaking or formal writing contexts, especially when discussing justice, personal development, or historical events. Given below are some sentences using the word expunge in different forms.

Example Sentences:

Part of Speech	Usage of ‘Florid’ in Sentence
Verb (Expunge)	“Trust me. This psychiatrist will expunge the inferiority complex of John.” “It is upto you to expunge thoughts of your dead mother. Else you will suffer”. Sam tried to expunge the superstitious beliefs from his mother’s mind. The politician tried to expunge untouchability from his society. The criminal tried to expunge all the evidence against him. The saint expunged the deep rooted negativity in Caesar. The scientist thought that his new experiment results will expunge the former beliefs on the theory. The influential politician expunged all the charges against him. The beautiful woman consciously expunged every miniscule trace of pride in her. It was tough to expunge the lending habit in Kim.
Noun (Expungement, Expunction)	“Trust me. This psychologist is an expert in the expunction of inferiority complex”. The politician was actively involved in the expunction of untouchability from his society. The saint advised about expunction of material desires. The scientist worked on an expunction of old beliefs about the theory. The influential politician ordered an expunction of charges against him. The beautiful woman wanted an expunction of every miniscule trace of pride in her. The policeman ensured that expungement was issued only to prisoners with good conduct. John was worthy of the expungement.

Part of Speech

Usage of ‘Florid’ in Sentence

Verb (Expunge)

“Trust me. This psychiatrist will expunge the inferiority complex of John.”
“It is upto you to expunge thoughts of your dead mother. Else you will suffer”.
Sam tried to expunge the superstitious beliefs from his mother’s mind.
The politician tried to expunge untouchability from his society.
The criminal tried to expunge all the evidence against him.
The saint expunged the deep rooted negativity in Caesar.
The scientist thought that his new experiment results will expunge the former beliefs on the theory.
The influential politician expunged all the charges against him.
The beautiful woman consciously expunged every miniscule trace of pride in her.
It was tough to expunge the lending habit in Kim.

Noun (Expungement, Expunction)

“Trust me. This psychologist is an expert in the expunction of inferiority complex”.
The politician was actively involved in the expunction of untouchability from his society.
The saint advised about expunction of material desires.
The scientist worked on an expunction of old beliefs about the theory.
The influential politician ordered an expunction of charges against him.
The beautiful woman wanted an expunction of every miniscule trace of pride in her.
The policeman ensured that expungement was issued only to prisoners with good conduct.
John was worthy of the expungement.

IELTS Usage of ‘Expunge’

IELTS Speaking Example

Cue Card Topic: Describe a mistake you made and what you learned.
Answer Excerpt: “There was a time in college when I plagiarised an essay. It was an embarrassing experience, but it taught me the value of originality. Though I can’t expunge the incident, I’ve grown more ethical since then.”

IELTS Writing Task 2 Example

Topic: Some people think history should be taught in schools, while others believe it is unnecessary.
Answer Excerpt: Although historical education sometimes includes biased narratives, we cannot simply expunge unpleasant events; rather, they must be critically examined to avoid repeating past mistakes.

Synonyms of Expunge

In the table, you will find some close synonyms for IELTS Writing and Speaking, each explained with a sample sentence. To improve lexical variety in your writing, use these synonyms where appropriate.

Synonym	Meaning	Example Sentence
Erase	Remove completely	The blackboard was quickly erased before the next lecture began.
Delete	Remove or wipe out (digital or written)	She deleted the email containing sensitive information.
Eliminate	Remove or get rid of something	New policies were introduced to eliminate corruption.
Obliterate	Destroy or remove completely	The hurricane obliterated the small village by the coast.
Wipe out	Completely destroy or remove	The virus wiped out all data from the system.

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Antonyms of Expunge

When you are trying to grasp the subtle differences in words, understanding antonyms can be a helpful tool to increase your precision. In the table below, you will find some antonyms, or opposites of the word, expunge, to boost your IELTS vocabulary.

Antonym	Meaning	Example Sentence
Preserve	Keep something as it is	Museums preserve ancient artifacts for future generations.
Record	Officially document or keep a history	The conversation was recorded for legal purposes.
Retain	Keep or continue to hold	Despite the loss, she retained her composure.
Maintain	Continue without change	The school maintains high academic standards.
Archive	Store and keep for future reference	All financial statements were archived digitally.

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Exercise to Master the Meaning of Expunge

You can strengthen your understanding of the word 'expunge' if you take the following exercises that are provided. Let’s go!

Exercise A: Multiple-Choice Questions

1 Which sentence best demonstrates the use of expunge?

a She decided to expunge the old sofa and replace it with a new one.

b The teacher expunged the blackboard with a sponge.

c The student requested the university to expunge the unfair grade from her record.

d They expunged their energy during the long hike.

2 What is the tone of the word expunge?

a Casual

b Informal

c Legal/Formal

d Playful

Exercise B: Match the Context to the Use of Expunge

Context	Best Use
A Court clears someone's criminal history	1 Expunge from publication
B Forgetting traumatic memories	2 Expunge from legal record
C Editing controversial textbook content	3 Expunge from the mind

Answer Key

Exercise A	Exercise B
c) The student requested the university to expunge the unfair grade from her record. c) Legal/Formal	C A B

To conclude, the word ‘expunge’ is an excellent example of advanced, formal vocabulary that adds authority and precision to your IELTS responses. So, practice this word in multiple contexts to ensure it comes naturally during your IELTS Writing or Speaking exam. With words like expunge in your toolkit, you are one step closer to a Band 8+ vocabulary.

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