How to say "eliminate" in Japanese

• 除くのぞくJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'eliminate' as physically removing or taking something out of a group, list or set — eliminating an option or a name from consideration. The nuance is removal, not destruction.
  医者いしゃは彼かれの苦痛くつうを除のぞいてやった。↗

  The doctor released him from his pain.
• 省くはぶくJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbFits 'eliminate' in the sense of leaving something out to save time, effort or cost — eliminating an unnecessary step or process. The nuance is omission and economy rather than removal.
  細こまかい所ところは省はぶいて構かまわない。↗

  You may leave out the details.
• 打ち破るうちやぶるCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbReally means to smash, break or defeat; it fits 'eliminate' only when that means beating an opponent, as in knocking a rival out of a competition — otherwise seldom the word you want.
  戦車せんしゃや飛行機ひこうきは軍隊ぐんたいを打ち破うちやぶることはできようが、国民こくみんを征服せいふくすることはできない。↗

  Tanks and planes may defeat the troops but they cannot conquer the people.
• なくすJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbUse this for 'eliminate' meaning to make something disappear completely — eliminating a problem, risk or bad habit. The nuance is eradicating, bringing the thing to zero rather than taking it away from somewhere.
  その国くにの財政ざいせいの赤字あかじをなくすには、もっと、たくさんの外国がいこくの援助えんじょを注ぎ込そそぎこまなければならなかった。↗

  To get the nation's economy out of the red, more foreign aid had to be pumped in.
• はねるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbCovers 'eliminate' as rejecting or screening something out in a selection — eliminating unqualified applicants or candidates. The nuance is a filtering decision that knocks items out rather than removing them one by one.

Use 「除く」 for removing something from a set, 「省く」 for cutting out what is unnecessary, 「なくす」 for making a problem disappear entirely, 「はねる」 for rejecting candidates in a selection, and 「打ち破る」 only for defeating opponents.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 除くのぞくto remove
• 省くはぶくto omit
• 打ち破るうちやぶるto break
• 除き去るのぞきさるto eliminate
• 取り去るとりさるto remove
• 退治るたいじるto exterminate
• なくすto get rid of
• はねるto reject
• 殺すころすto suppress
• 篩うふるうto pick out (e.g. a candidate)
• 消すけすto remove (a smell, pain, etc.)
• 片付けるかたづけるto do away with (someone)