deletion

noun

de·​le·​tion di-ˈlē-shən 

dē-

1

: the act of deleting

2

a

: something deleted

b(1)

: the absence of a section of genetic material from a gene or chromosome

(2)

: the mutational process that results in a deletion

Synonyms of deletion

• omission

Examples of deletion in a Sentence

one of the deletions from the final cut of the movie turned out to be my one line of dialogue

Recent Examples on the Web

Retire Without Breaking The Business Expiration can’t mean indiscriminate deletion. — Akhilesh Sharma, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026

The lawsuit also seeks the deletion of license plate data within 24 hours of collection, except when police obtain a warrant for longer retention. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026

Power poles and brick walls get one-click deletion from an Airbnb listing. — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

The sound system has been simplified in the name of weight, the rear seats and acoustic insulation have been removed, and the deletion of drive modes and assistance systems reduced the number of controls on the steering wheel. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin deletion-, deletio destruction, from delēre

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for deletion

• accretion
• completion
• concretion
• depletion
• excretion
• repletion
• secretion
• carburetion
• grecian
• hypersecretion

Medical Definition

deletion

noun

de·​le·​tion di-ˈlē-shən 

1

: the absence of a section of genetic material from a gene or chromosome

2

: the mutational process that results in a deletion