Which is better — “wipe out” or “wipe away”?

If justice is wiped out, then society will fall apart in no time.

I vacillate between “wipe out” and “wipe away”. What is so great about this sentence?

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130 Answer(s)

I would prefer to write a person completely destroyed in this case, but as a general rule more than ever!

If I want to apply a physical action (wiping) to intangible subject (justice) you need a more poetic form or context in order to avoid creating a weak and awkward sentence.

If “wiped out” is mostly applied to the destruction of living populations, I can’t see how this creates a useful picture in the mind of your reader. This usage probably came from the habit of cleaning writing from blackboards. Is the callous destruction of life such an extreme action to destroy it as if it had no value not just a temporary writein in a classroom. I can’t take the clichu00e9 seriously without a lot more supporting effort on the writer’s part. * * * *

Answered on September 27, 2021.
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Wipe-out meant to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. My husband has also known wiping away. This is more commonly used with terms like “wash away grease”.

Answered on October 12, 2021.
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I would prefer to write a person completely destroyed in this case, but as a general rule more than ever!

If I want to apply a physical action (wiping) to intangible subject (justice) you need a more poetic form or context in order to avoid creating a weak and awkward sentence.

If “wiped out” is mostly applied to the destruction of living populations, I can’t see how this creates a useful picture in the mind of your reader. This usage probably came from the habit of cleaning writing from blackboards. Is the callous destruction of life such an extreme action to destroy it as if it had no value not just a temporary writein in a classroom. I can’t take the clichu00e9 seriously without a lot more supporting effort on the writer’s part. * * * *

Answered on October 14, 2021.
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I would prefer to write a person completely destroyed in this case, but as a general rule more than ever!

If I want to apply a physical action (wiping) to intangible subject (justice) you need a more poetic form or context in order to avoid creating a weak and awkward sentence.

If “wiped out” is mostly applied to the destruction of living populations, I can’t see how this creates a useful picture in the mind of your reader. This usage probably came from the habit of cleaning writing from blackboards. Is the callous destruction of life such an extreme action to destroy it as if it had no value not just a temporary writein in a classroom. I can’t take the clichu00e9 seriously without a lot more supporting effort on the writer’s part. * * * *

Answered on October 16, 2021.
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Wipe-out meant to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. My husband has also known wiping away. This is more commonly used with terms like “wash away grease”.

Answered on October 17, 2021.
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Wipe-out meant to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. My husband has also known wiping away. This is more commonly used with terms like “wash away grease”.

Answered on October 22, 2021.
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Wipe-out meant to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. My husband has also known wiping away. This is more commonly used with terms like “wash away grease”.

Answered on October 28, 2021.
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Wipe-out meant to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. My husband has also known wiping away. This is more commonly used with terms like “wash away grease”.

Answered on October 29, 2021.
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Wipe-out meant to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. My husband has also known wiping away. This is more commonly used with terms like “wash away grease”.

Answered on October 31, 2021.
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Wipe-out meant to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. My husband has also known wiping away. This is more commonly used with terms like “wash away grease”.

Answered on November 1, 2021.
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