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
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
-
After Jake Cronenworth walked to start the sixth and was erased on Ramón Laureano’s fielder’s choice grounder, Tatis grounded a single through the left side to give the Padres runners at first and second.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Those charges were ultimately dropped and were supposed to be erased from public disclosure, the lawsuit said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response.—
Eric McDaniel,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Our hope is that, over time, this app will help eradicate bad brushing habits to improve our overall dental health.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Two weeks later, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile in Iraq and led a drive to abolish the monarchy and proclaim an Islamic government.—
Jeffrey Fields,
The Conversation,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The clock ran out on a bill aimed at moving Georgia to a new time zone, ending supporters’ hopes of abolishing the chore of changing the clocks twice per year.—
Caleb Groves,
AJC.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Efface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/efface. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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