Learn English – Which one is better: “wipe out” or “wipe away”

word-choice

If justice is wiped out, then society will fall apart in no time.

I vacillate between "wipe out" and "wipe away". I do not know which one is better in this sentence.

Best Answer

Wipe out means to destroy, so it probably fits your scenario better. Wipe away refers to the more generic wiping motion, so it is more commonly seen with phrases like "wipe away grease".