verb
expunge
ik-SPUNJ/ɪkˈspʌndʒ/
To erase completely from a record or memory.
The judge expunges the old conviction from her record.
Etymology
Literally “prick out,” the Latin verb referred to marking a name for deletion by pricking dots above or below it. That record-marking practice underlies the meaning of erasing or striking out.
In context
she advocated on my behalf in front of both of those judges and asked them to expunge my record
More examples
- He cannot expunge the painful memory of that day.
- The editor expunged the false claim from the report.
- She requests help expunging outdated entries from the official record.
Forms
expunge · expunges · expunged · expunging
expungement noun — The complete removal of information from a record.