eradicate
eradicate — 動詞
1. to remove or destroy something such as a disease, a social problem, or an unwant
根除
徹底消滅有害的事物或問題
to remove or destroy something such as a disease, a social problem, or an unwanted group of organisms so that it no longer exists anywhere
The government launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate polio from the region.
政府發起了一項全國性的運動，旨在根除該地區的小兒麻痺症。
collocation: eradicate + disease (polio)
Maeve believes that education is the best way to eradicate poverty in rural areas.
Maeve 認為教育是根除農村貧困的最佳方式。
The health organisation successfully eradicated smallpox through a global vaccination programme.
該衛生組織透過全球疫苗接種計劃成功根除了天花。
The city council took over a decade to eradicate homelessness from the downtown area.
市議會花了超過十年的時間才根除市區的遊民問題。
Kian argued that tougher penalties alone cannot eradicate corruption from the banking sector.
Kian 認為，僅靠更嚴厲的處罰無法根除銀行業的貪腐。
- eliminate
weaker than 'eradicate'; means to remove or get rid of, but not necessarily leaving nothing behind
- wipe out
informal equivalent; often used for groups or populations rather than abstract concepts
- stamp out
more active and forceful; suggests using deliberate effort to end something
- abolish
used specifically for laws, systems, or institutions, not diseases or organisms
文法句型
eradicate + noun phrase (disease, problem, pest)
be eradicated from + place
eradicate + noun phrase + through + method
用法筆記
The object of this sense is typically something widespread and considered harmful — diseases, social problems, invasive species, or institutional practices. 'Eradicate' is stronger than 'eliminate' because it implies total and permanent removal, not just reduction.
常見錯誤
2. to kill every member of a group of people, animals, or other organisms, leaving
殲滅
大規模殺光所有成員
to kill every member of a group of people, animals, or other organisms, leaving none behind
Without intervention, the disease could eradicate ninety percent of the wild rabbit population.
若不介入，這種疾病可能殲滅九成的野生兔子數量。
pattern: could eradicate + percentage + population
Colonial forces tried to eradicate the indigenous population through systematic violence.
殖民勢力試圖透過系統性的暴力來殲滅原住民族群。
Pesticides were sprayed from helicopters to eradicate the breeding mosquito population.
當局從直升機噴灑農藥，以殲滅正在繁殖的蚊子族群。
Chiara's research team warned that the fungus could eradicate the entire amphibian population.
Chiara 的研究團隊警告，這種真菌可能殲滅整個兩棲動物族群。
- annihilate
equally strong; emphasises total destruction down to nothing
- exterminate
more clinical; often used for pests or in historical contexts of genocide
- decimate
weaker; technically means to kill one in ten, but often used loosely to mean 'destroy a large portion of'
文法句型
eradicate + noun phrase (population, species, group)
be eradicated by + agent
用法筆記
This sense carries a stronger destructive force than sense 1. It typically takes population nouns as objects and implies violence or lethality rather than systematic removal. 'Annihilate' and 'exterminate' are near synonyms in this sense.
常見錯誤
3. to pull a plant completely out of the ground, including all of its roots, so tha
連根拔除
將植物連根拔起
to pull a plant completely out of the ground, including all of its roots, so that it cannot grow back
Gardeners must eradicate bindweed completely, or it will regrow from any root fragment left behind.
園丁必須將旋花連根拔除，否則只要留下一小段根，它就會重新生長。
literal sense: pulling plant out by the roots
Eli showed his daughter how to eradicate dandelions by loosening the soil around the taproot.
Eli 教女兒如何鬆開主根周圍的土壤，將蒲公英連根拔除。
The farmer spent the morning eradicating thistles from the edge of the wheat field.
農夫花了一整個上午，把小麥田邊緣的薊草連根拔除。
Tara put on her gardening gloves and began to eradicate the nettles behind the shed.
Tara 戴上園藝手套，開始將棚屋後的蕁麻連根拔除。
文法句型
eradicate + noun phrase (plant, weed, tree)
用法筆記
This is the original, literal meaning of the word, from Latin 'eradicare' (to root out). In modern contexts it is used mainly in gardening, agriculture, and ecology writing. Distinguish from sense 1, which applies the same 'uprooting' idea metaphorically to abstract things.