as in to erase
to destroy all traces of
when the supply ship finally arrived, it discovered that virtually all evidence of the colony at Roanoke had been effaced
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Recent Examples of efface
The road not taken—and now rediscovered by Orozco—is the reintroduction of the ancient Marxist concept of use value,the dialectical opposite of exchange value, and, more recently, also the sole form of resisting exhibition value, which has totally effaced the concepts of material use and function.
—
Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
In other societies, including those of Latin America, the line between conqueror and conquered has, through language, intermarriage and the exchange of customs and food, been partially effaced.
—Andrew Moore, New York Times, 15 May 2025
The bonds of mutual political awakening—the sort of togetherness that was once routine, if uneasy, for Firestone—are completely effaced.
—Audrey Wollen, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
By killing animals for exhibition and subduing their bodies in such tableaux, taxidermy celebrates the subjugation of nature and colonial exploitation, all while effacing the African labor undergirding some dioramas, as with the mountain gorilla scene.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for efface
Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
In other societies, including those of Latin America, the line between conqueror and conquered has, through language, intermarriage and the exchange of customs and food, been partially effaced.
—Andrew Moore, New York Times, 15 May 2025
The bonds of mutual political awakening—the sort of togetherness that was once routine, if uneasy, for Firestone—are completely effaced.
—Audrey Wollen, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
By killing animals for exhibition and subduing their bodies in such tableaux, taxidermy celebrates the subjugation of nature and colonial exploitation, all while effacing the African labor undergirding some dioramas, as with the mountain gorilla scene.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for efface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for efface
Verb
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After a sleepy start, the Americans came to life throughout the middle third of the game, and erased an early 1-0 deficit to end their October camp on a high note.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
15 Oct. 2025
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Many of those drivers could have stemmed or erased their losses simply by waiting for another year or two and paying off some or all of the remaining loan balance, Drury said.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But Ukraine says Russia is waging an imperial war of conquest to eradicate Ukrainian sovereignty and identity, and illegally bring it under Kremlin control.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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Sixth-generation Texas rancher James Clement III told CNBC the key to eradicating the screwworm threat is years out.—
Lori Ann LaRocco,
CNBC,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That uneven use of the death penalty is one of the reasons advocates want to abolish it.—
Kevin Grasha,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
21 Oct. 2025
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Additionally, individual states can’t decide to abolish the practice without Congressional approval.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Efface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/efface. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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