exorcise

verb

ex·​or·​cise ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsīz How to pronounce exorcise (audio) -sər- How to pronounce exorcise (audio)
variants or less commonly exorcize
exorcised also exorcized; exorcising also exorcizing

transitive verb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With just under five minutes to go in the period, Sean Canavan exorcised his own demons. Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2025 Determined to rid their house of evil, Malcolm turns to unconventional ghost hunters, priests and psychics, leading to a series of increasingly absurd attempts to exorcise the demon. Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025 Ninety-nine times out of 100, that’s a statement win for Denver, exorcising a decade of demons in the process. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2025 Notre Dame The Irish still haven’t won a national championship since 1988, but Marcus Freeman’s team exorcised some demons in 2024. Manny Navarro, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exorcise

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French exorciscer, from Late Latin exorcizare, from Greek exorkizein, from ex- + horkizein to bind by oath, adjure, from horkos oath

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of exorcise was in 1539

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exorcise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exorcise. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

exorcise

verb
ex·​or·​cise ˈek-ˌsȯr-ˌsīz How to pronounce exorcise (audio)
-sər-
exorcised; exorcising
: to drive (as an evil spirit) off by calling upon some holy name or by spells

More from Merriam-Webster on exorcise

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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