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

• 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

Now, WhatsApp users are starting to understand the implications of this, as Meta has confirmed the deletion of some 6.8 million messaging accounts. —Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

The wide receiver group might eventually make at least one external addition, but thus far it’s had one deletion. —Zac Jackson, New York Times, 31 July 2025

In Kenya, authorities blocked World signups and ordered the deletion of collected biometric data after a high court determined the company failed to meet legal standards for biometric data collection. —Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

Both women were questioned about the use of automatic deletion programs on their personal cell phones. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2025

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