1. plural of extermination; the act of destroying or eliminating something completely, especially pests or unwanted organisms
Usage: commonly used in pest control contexts
2. plural of extermination; the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially for political or ethnic reasons
Usage: serious historical and political usage

Examples

• The city hired a pest control company to handle the exterminations of the cockroach infestation.
• Multiple exterminations of invasive species have been necessary to protect the native ecosystem.
• Historical exterminations of indigenous populations remain a dark chapter in colonial history.
• The exterminations were carried out with systematic brutality.
• Preventive measures are often more cost-effective than exterminations after an infestation spreads.