erase

verb

i-ˈrās How to pronounce erase (audio)
 British  -ˈrāz
erased; erasing; erases

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 (such as magnetic tape)
also : to remove recorded matter from
erase a hard drive
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 noun
erasable adjective

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 on the Web
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.
And what a loss that would be, erasing the splashes of yellow and orange every fall and silencing the quaking of the leaves. Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 18 Nov. 2024 Compared to its March peak of $123, the price has plunged over 85%, erasing over $55 billion in value. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024 Among the more prominent were banning out trans people from serving in the military, erasing mentions of LGBTQ+ people from federal websites, rescinding protections for trans students in schools, and opposing workplace protections for LGBTQ+ employees. Nico Lang, Them, 6 Nov. 2024 Polls over the last month have shown that Trump holds a lead among this demographic voting bloc, erasing the traditional 2-to-1 Democratic advantage. Yash Roy, The Hill, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for erase 

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of erase was in 1605

Dictionary Entries Near erase

Cite this Entry

“Erase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erase. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

erase

verb
erased; erasing
1
a
: to rub out (as something written)
b
: to remove written or drawn marks from
erase a chalkboard
c
: to remove recorded matter from
erase a videotape
d
: to delete from a computer storage device
erase a file
2
: to remove as if by erasing
erase an event from one's memory
erasability noun
erasable adjective

Legal Definition

erase

transitive verb
erased; erasing
: to seal and protect (criminal records) from disclosure

More from Merriam-Webster on erase

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