1. the act of removing objectionable or offensive material from a text, book, or other work
Usage: formal; often used in literary and editorial contexts
2. the removal of guilt or blame; exoneration
Usage: archaic; rare in modern usage

Examples

• The expurgation of profanity from the classic novel made it suitable for younger readers.
• Publishers sometimes perform expurgation on historical texts to remove outdated or offensive language.
• The expurgation of sensitive passages was common practice in Victorian-era editions.
• Modern scholars often debate whether expurgation of literature serves educational purposes or distorts the author's original intent.
• The editor's expurgation of the manuscript removed several controversial chapters.
• Some argue that expurgation of historical documents prevents us from understanding the past accurately.