1. the act of erasing, removing, or striking out something written or recorded; deletion or obliteration.
Usage: formal; often used in legal and administrative contexts
2. in law, the removal or destruction of a criminal record, conviction, or arrest from official files.
Usage: legal term

Examples

• The expunction of the old files made room for new records in the archive.
• She filed for expunction of her juvenile arrest record after turning 21.
• The expunction of the offensive passage from the manuscript was requested by the publisher.
• Legal expunction allows individuals to clear certain convictions from their criminal history.
• The expunction process requires a formal petition to the court.
• After successful expunction, the defendant could legally state they had no criminal record.