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Exterminate vs Eradiate - What's the difference?

exterminate | eradiate |

As verbs the difference between exterminate and eradiate

is that exterminate is to kill all of a population, usually deliberate and especially applied to pests while eradiate is to spread out light rays in all directions.

As an adjective eradiate is

(botany) said of several types of capitulum that do not have petal-like florets.

exterminate

English

Verb

(exterminat)
  • To kill all of a population, usually deliberate and especially applied to pests.
    • We'll use poison to exterminate the rats.
  • (figuratively) To bring a definite end to, finish completely. A rather strong word that implies that what has been ended won't resurface.
    • Even a mass birching at the public school failed to exterminate truancy.

    Synonyms

    * (to kill all) annihilate, eradicate, extermine, uproot * (to bring an end to) stamp out * See also

    Derived terms

    * extermination * exterminative * exterminator * exterminatory

    Related terms

    * terminate * termination * terminator

    eradiate

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (botany) Said of several types of capitulum that do not have petal-like florets.

    • Verb

  • To spread out light rays in all directions.