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Exterminate vs Fumigate - What's the difference?

exterminate | fumigate |

As verbs the difference between exterminate and fumigate

is that exterminate is to kill all of a population, usually deliberate and especially applied to pests while fumigate is to disinfect, purify, or rid of vermin with the fumes of certain chemicals.

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

    fumigate

    English

    Verb

    (fumigat)
  • To disinfect, purify, or rid of vermin with the fumes of certain chemicals.