as in erasing
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 effacing
Their struggle has upturned the tabletop candle that illuminates the scene and any moment will surely extinguish it, effacing the giddy pattern formed by the writhing bodies and glowing, veiny bladder skin.
—
Julian Bell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 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
Julian Bell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effacing
Verb
-
But the treatment also destroyed the healthy stem cells responsible for her immune system, erasing the immunological memory of past vaccines and infections.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
There was still no way of erasing Chicago’s nine-run uprising in the fourth, the most runs allowed in an inning by the Giants since 2020 (also nine, by the then-Oakland Athletics).—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Blaine begins to relentlessly beat Sam in retaliation for eradicating his wife, Anneliese.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
The new state consumer services agency will focus on eradicating junk fees, increasing online privacy protections and overseeing oil companies, according to Newsom’s office.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
But on April 24, Stanford got tongue-tied when asked to explain her position on abolishing ICE.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
18 May 2026
-
Let’s go down memory lane and recall that the 13th Amendment is abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Back in 2023, the small drones started destroying any truck or van within several miles of the front, often in high-speed chases.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
Anomalies then occurred during an engine relight sequence, destroying a significant part of the Superheavy aft and resulting in a loss of control.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Effacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effacing. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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