delete

verb

de·​lete di-ˈlēt 

dē-

deleted; deleting

transitive verb

: to eliminate especially by blotting out, cutting out, or erasing

delete a passage in a manuscript

delete a computer file

The email was accidentally deleted.

deletable

di-ˈlē-tə-bəl 

dē-

adjective

an easily deletable photo

Synonyms of delete

• cancel
• erase
• remove
• censor

Examples of delete in a Sentence

Delete this name from the list.

When the movie was shown on TV all the swearwords had been deleted.

Recent Examples on the Web

Riley allegedly used his Samsung Galaxy S9 to access the camera system and delete the files, according to the criminal complaint. — Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 31 July 2026

The statement was later deleted from the website with no immediate explanation. — CNN Money, 31 July 2026

The production company asked Netflix in person and in writing to agree to delete any files transferred to a projector during screening and to arrange to promptly return the screener after viewing. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026

According to the complaint, the associate producer informed the company that the DCP was unencrypted, and asked that the film be deleted after the screening. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin deletus, past participle of delēre to wipe out, destroy

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing delete

• delete key

Rhymes for delete

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete

Kids Definition

delete

verb

de·​lete di-ˈlēt 

deleted; deleting

: to eliminate especially by blotting out, cutting out, or erasing

delete a part of the story

delete a computer file

deletion

di-ˈlē-shən

noun