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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of efface
Each offers a lesson for tomorrow’s leaders who want to leverage this technology without effacing the human touch.
—
Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 20 Feb. 2026
The leaps in time have the eerie effect of effacing time—the layered succession of images implying their simultaneity in Lidia’s mind.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026
This collection represents his earnest and thrilling mission to efface the line between poetry and prose, to introduce us to the possibility that each is affirmed and made complete by the other.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Too many passages elsewhere live in a prose flat as freshly milled oak planks:
Those traces of my youth
Were not effaced by the momentum of the seasons
Only.
—William Logan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for efface
Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 20 Feb. 2026
The leaps in time have the eerie effect of effacing time—the layered succession of images implying their simultaneity in Lidia’s mind.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2026
This collection represents his earnest and thrilling mission to efface the line between poetry and prose, to introduce us to the possibility that each is affirmed and made complete by the other.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Too many passages elsewhere live in a prose flat as freshly milled oak planks:
Those traces of my youth
Were not effaced by the momentum of the seasons
Only.
—William Logan, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for efface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for efface
Verb
-
The Indians erased an early 3-0 deficit with 3 runs in the second and 4 in the fourth.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Then there is that silence motivated by the desire to protect one’s self through trying to erase the thing never discussed.—
Cyraina Johnson-Roullier,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In Namibia, local authorities were producing millions of tons of wood chips while eradicating an invasive bush.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Instead of eradicating catcher framing like full abdication to the robots would have, the challenge system adds new layers to the charade of trying to sell strikes.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the four and a half decades since France abolished the death penalty, the guillotine itself has rarely been seen.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
If holistic admissions were abolished (and admissions were based solely on grades, curricular rigor and test scores), the percentage of students with parents in the top 1% of income would drop by more than a third.—
David Blobaum,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Efface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/efface. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
