exorcise
verb
ex·or·cise
ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsīz 
-sər-
-sər-
variants
or less commonly exorcize
exorcised also exorcized; exorcising also exorcizing
1
a
: to expel (an evil spirit) by adjuration
b
: to get rid of (something troublesome, menacing, or oppressive)
2
: to free of an evil spirit
exorciser
noun
Synonyms
Examples of exorcise in a Sentence
The movie is about a priest who tries to exorcise demons from a young girl.
please exorcise that offensive word from your vocabulary
Recent Examples on the Web
Left needing to close with par to win, DeChambeau held his nerve to triumph and exorcise the demons of falling one stroke short of the PGA Championship to compatriot Xander Schauffele last month.
—
Jack Bantock, CNN, 17 June 2024
Whether the comedian is observational or self-deprecating, filthy or family-friendly, impersonating their mother is often a recurring bit used to exorcise some complicated feelings.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 10 May 2024
Using the Windows install that comes out of the box is probably fine on most of these, but blowing away the existing install and starting fresh is the surest way to exorcise any gremlins.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 1 Apr. 2024
Washington must begin now to exorcise similar haunts from Afghan and Iraq war veterans, or else these endless wars will become forever wars for these veterans and their families, as is Vietnam.
—Isaiah Wilson Iii, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for exorcise 
Jack Bantock, CNN, 17 June 2024
Whether the comedian is observational or self-deprecating, filthy or family-friendly, impersonating their mother is often a recurring bit used to exorcise some complicated feelings.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 10 May 2024
Using the Windows install that comes out of the box is probably fine on most of these, but blowing away the existing install and starting fresh is the surest way to exorcise any gremlins.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 1 Apr. 2024
Washington must begin now to exorcise similar haunts from Afghan and Iraq war veterans, or else these endless wars will become forever wars for these veterans and their families, as is Vietnam.
—Isaiah Wilson Iii, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for exorcise
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exorcise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Exorcise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exorcise. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
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exorcise
verb
ex·or·cise
ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsīz
-sər-
exorcised; exorcising
: to drive (as an evil spirit) off by calling upon some holy name or by spells
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