efface

verb

ef·face | \ i-ˈfās

, e-\

effaced; effacing

Definition of efface

1 : to eliminate or make indistinct by or as if by wearing away a surface coins with dates effaced by wear also : to cause to vanish daylight effaced the stars

2 : to make (oneself) modestly or shyly inconspicuous

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Examples of efface in a Sentence

coins with dates effaced by wear a memory effaced by time

Recent Examples on the Web

Without completely effacing the natural beauty, developers and tourists remade the Dells as a waterpark and amusement playground. — Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "See the photographs that put the Dells on the map at an exclusive exhibit at West Bend's Museum of Wisconsin Art," 4 June 2019 Appearances from Ricky Martin, RuPaul, and John Legend kept things lively, though the number set a somewhat awkwardly self-effacing tone for the rest of the evening. — Aja Romano, Vox, "The Emmys’ opening musical number was a wry nod to Hollywood’s (lack of) diversity," 18 Sep. 2018 Ferry, by nature shy and self-effacing, reinvented himself as a fop with issues. — Greg Kot, chicagotribune.com, "Roxy Music: Still mind-blowing, still overlooked," 22 Feb. 2018 The book catapulted a shy, self-effacing man into a sudden spokesperson for the marginalized immigrant — and also imprinted him as the adventurous bad boy. — Evan Kleiman, latimes.com, "He may have had a bad boy persona, but Anthony Bourdain was lovely, loyal and so damn smart," 9 June 2018 In Imperial Rome, the poets Horace and Ovid took stepmotherly wickedness for granted, while the historian Tacitus’ grotesque portrait of Livia, the third wife of the Emperor Augustus, has yet to be effaced. — Maxwell Carter, WSJ, "‘Empress’ Review: Light of the Mughal World," 13 July 2018 The spiritual figurehead of the team in many ways has been Southgate, a former England player whose self-effacing enthusiasm has become central to the group’s appeal. — Andrew Keh, New York Times, "England Takes Another Step Toward Bringing ‘It’ Home," 8 July 2018 Baddiel Skinner and the Lightning Seeds, 'Three Lions' (1996) Leave it to England to inject a dash of bittersweet nostalgia mixed with self-effacing humor into a field not known for either quality. — Ed Masley, azcentral, "Best World Cup songs of all time, from Ricky Martin and Shakira to 'Three Lions'," 27 June 2018 The prevalence of bloviating, uncivilized screamers makes Charles’s self-effacing reserve especially refreshing. — Fay Vincent, WSJ, "Charles Krauthammer Goes Out Like Gehrig," 10 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'efface.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.