delete

verb

de·​lete di-ˈlēt How to pronounce delete (audio)
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 adjective
an easily deletable photo

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The post was later deleted but not before arousing the concern of immigration rights groups in South Florida. Cd Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025 This is all part of Microsoft’s push for users to delete account passwords altogether and to use passkeys instead. Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 The institute also pledged to improve privacy policies, and continue to allow customers to delete their data at will, as 23andMe already does. John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 June 2025 According to Tinder, verification data obtained during the face scans is stored for the lifetime of the person's account but gets deleted within 30 days after someone closes their account. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for delete

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of delete was in 1540

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Delete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delete. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

delete

verb
de·​lete di-ˈlēt How to pronounce delete (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on delete

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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