elimination
C1Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The act of completely removing or getting rid of something, often in a formal or systematic way.
1. The process of being removed from a competition or contest. 2. (In medicine/biology) The expulsion of waste products from the body. 3. (In mathematics/logic) A method of solving equations by removing variables.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a final, decisive, and thorough removal. When referring to competitions, it carries a sense of defeat and exclusion. In scientific contexts, it is a neutral technical term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both dialects.
Frequency
Similar frequency of use in both formal and technical registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
elimination of [noun] (e.g., elimination of waste)elimination from [noun] (e.g., elimination from the tournament)[verb] elimination (e.g., require elimination, lead to elimination)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sudden death elimination (a tie-breaking round where the first to fail loses)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to removing inefficiencies, competitors, or risks (e.g., 'cost elimination').
Academic
Used in scientific methods (e.g., 'the elimination of variables'), logical reasoning, and historical analysis.
Everyday
Most common in discussions about sports tournaments, competitions, diet/health, and cleaning.
Technical
Specific use in chemistry (elimination reactions), medicine (waste elimination), and mathematics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The new software aims to eliminate manual data entry.
- We must eliminate all traces of the chemical from the water supply.
American English
- The team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
- This policy seeks to eliminate fraud entirely.
adjective
British English
- The elimination round proved to be incredibly challenging.
- They followed an elimination diet to identify food allergies.
American English
- The tournament uses a single-elimination bracket.
- The elimination phase of the detox can be difficult.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The elimination of the losing team made us sad.
- Drinking water helps with the elimination of toxins.
- Early elimination from the championship was a big disappointment.
- The goal is the complete elimination of plastic waste.
- The peace talks aimed at the elimination of all nuclear weapons in the region.
- Scientists use a process of elimination to identify unknown substances.
- The statistical model employed a backward elimination procedure to select the most significant variables.
- The policy of forcible elimination of the minority group constituted a grave humanitarian crime.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LIMB being cut off – elimination is the complete removal of a part from a whole.
Conceptual Metaphor
ELIMINATION IS PURIFICATION (removing impurities), ELIMINATION IS WAR (defeating and removing an opponent).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'ликвидация' which is stronger/more final. 'Устранение' or 'исключение' are often closer.
- Do not use 'элиминация' directly as it is a highly specialized loanword.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'elimination' for simple reduction or decrease (too strong).
- Confusing 'eliminate' with 'reduce' or 'minimize'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'elimination *off*' instead of 'elimination of/from'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'elimination' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Elimination' means complete removal to zero, while 'reduction' means making something smaller or less in degree.
Yes, in contexts like health (elimination of disease), efficiency (elimination of waste), or safety (elimination of hazards), it is positive.
No, it can be a neutral, systematic process (e.g., mathematical elimination, bodily elimination) without any force implied.
Use 'elimination of' for the thing being removed (elimination of errors). Use 'elimination from' for the source or group (elimination from the competition).
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