erase

verb \ i-ˈrās , British -ˈrāz \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Examples: erase in a Sentence

Definition of erase

erased; erasing

transitive verb

1 a : to rub or scrape out (something, such as written, painted, or engraved letters)

erase an error

b : to remove written or drawn marks from

erase a blackboard

c : to remove (recorded matter) from a magnetic medium; also : to remove recorded matter from

erase a videotape

d : to delete from computer storage

erase a file

2 a : to remove from existence or memory as if by erasing

b : to nullify the effect or force of

intransitive verb

: to yield to erasure

—

erasability

play \i-ˌrā-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

erasable

play \i-ˈrā-sə-bəl\ adjective

See erase defined for English-language learners

See erase defined for kids

Examples of erase in a Sentence

The recording can be erased and the tape used again.
Several important files were accidentally erased.
You can erase the tape and use it again.
She erased the wrong answer from her paper and filled in the correct one.
I erased the chalk marks from the blackboard.

Recent Examples of erase from the Web

With these statements, West has echoed, on a national megaphone, a narrative that erases the injustice inflicted on black men and women, and bolstered lies circulated by white supremacists.

— alex abad-santos, Vox, "The Kanye West dilemma," 5 June 2018
In addition to asking that the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit be erased, Francisco had asked the high court to consider sanctions against the ACLU for its conduct in the case.

— richard wolf, USA TODAY, "Supreme Court erases ruling against government in illegal immigrant teen's abortion case as moot," 4 June 2018
That Trump would erase Obama’s achievements has served as a fantasy for Obama’s enemies on the right and the left (the latter, imagining that his shallow compromises could give way to True Socialism) and as a source of anxiety for his supporters.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Wishes He Could Destroy Obama’s Legacy. He Hasn’t. And Won’t.," 20 May 2018
Critics argued that a religious symbol standing on public land erased the separation between church and state, and was an unconstitutional government endorsement of a religion.

— lisa gutierrez, kansascity, "A tall Christian cross stood in a Michigan park for nearly 70 years. Now it's gone | The Kansas City Star," 18 May 2018
On Monday, Judge Lachman dismissed allegations that a former member of the fraternity had erased security video to impede investigators.

— kris maher, WSJ, "Judge Orders More Penn State Frat Members to Stand Trial in Hazing Death," 7 May 2018
And lawmakers, veterans advocates, and current and former department leaders fear that sinking morale could erase the progress the department has made in recent years.

— Anchorage Daily News, "VA medical system staggers as chaos engulfs its leadership," 5 May 2018
This small community is slowly fading into history, but deserves to be remembered in order to ensure that the debates around Stone Mountain don’t erase those who live in its shadow.

— benjamin powers, Smithsonian, "In the Shadow of Stone Mountain," 4 May 2018
Healey’s office also found that McKeon’s agency laptop, tablet, and cellphone were all erased prematurely.

— andrea estes, BostonGlobe.com, "Report criticizes ex-State Police head for arrest report rewrite," 27 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of erase

Latin erasus, past participle of eradere, from e- + radere to scratch, scrape — more at rodent

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1605

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

erase Synonyms

Synonyms

abolish, annihilate, black out, blot out, cancel, clean (up), efface, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, root (out), rub out, snuff (out), stamp (out), sweep (away), wipe out;

Near Antonyms

conserve, preserve, protect, save;

build, construct, create, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, shape;

fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renew, renovate, repair, restore, revamp;

dismantle, flatten, mow (down), raze, tear down;

ruin, total, waste, wreck;

blast, blow up, dash, dynamite, smash;

atomize, consume, devour, dissolve, fragment, powder, pulverize, shatter, splinter;

doom, finish, kill, kill off, terminate, zap;

cancel, cut, discard, ditch, eject, excise, expel, jettison, oust, throw out;

ERASE Defined for English Language Learners

erase

verb

Definition of erase for English Language Learners

: to remove (something that has been recorded) from a tape (such as a videotape or audiotape) or a computer disk; also : to remove recorded material from (a tape or disk)
: to remove (something written) by rubbing or scraping so that it can no longer be seen
: to remove something written from (a surface)