Definition

Adjective: 1. Having objectionable content removed: Describes a text, book, or other written work from which material considered offensive, harmful, or improper has been deleted or altered.

Usage

The adjective "expurgated" is used to describe a version of a text that has been censored or purified. It is often applied to classic literary works, historical documents, or publications that were altered to conform to the moral, political, or religious standards of a particular time or audience.

Examples

• The school library only carried an expurgated edition of the novel, with all the controversial passages removed.
• Scholars often prefer to study the original, unedited manuscripts rather than the later expurgated versions.
• His letters were published in an expurgated form to protect the privacy of those still living.

Advanced Usage

• "heavily expurgated": Emphasizes that a large amount of content has been removed or altered.
  • The film was heavily expurgated before it could be shown on national television.
• Used in contrast with "unexpurgated" (the complete, original version).
  • This is the first unexpurgated publication of the author's diaries, free from the cuts made in the 1950s expurgated edition.

Variants and Related Words

• Expurgate (verb): To remove objectionable material from a text.
  • The editor was asked to expurgate the manuscript before publication.
• Expurgation (noun): The act of expurgating.
  • The expurgation of the text was done to make it suitable for a younger audience.

Synonyms

• Censored: Officially examined and suppressed parts for being objectionable.
• Bowdlerized: Removed or modified material considered vulgar or offensive (named after Thomas Bowdler, who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare).
• Sanitized: Made something less offensive or disturbing by removing unpleasant details.

Antonyms

• Unexpurgated: Not altered by removing or modifying parts; complete.
• Uncensored: Not subjected to censorship; containing all original material.
• Unabridged: Not shortened; complete and full-length.

Adjective

1. having material deleted
   • at that time even Shakespeare was considered dangerous except in the expurgated versions