erase

verb

i-ˈrās

British -ˈrāz

erased; erasing; erases

transitive verb

: to rub or scrape out (something, such as written, painted, or engraved letters)

erase an error

: to remove written or drawn marks from

erase a blackboard

: to remove (recorded matter) from a magnetic medium (such as magnetic tape)

also : to remove recorded matter from

erase a hard drive

: to delete from computer storage

erase a file

: to remove from existence or memory as if by erasing

: to nullify the effect or force of

intransitive verb

: to yield to erasure

erasability

i-ˌrā-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun

erasable

i-ˈrā-sə-bəl

adjective

Example Sentences

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 The question now becomes if Pedowitz’s successor — former Nexstar board member Dennis Miller — will embrace or erase it.

Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Oct. 2022 But this is a precarious moment, and agencies could erase them.

Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 Known as base editing, the technology empowers researchers to pick a single letter amongst the three billion that compose the human genome, erase it, and write a new letter in its place.

Ryan Cross, BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2022 Eckhaus tossed two more touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and finished with 348 yards and 3 TDs, but his efforts couldn’t erase a disastrous first half.

Eamonn Ryan, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Nov. 2022 The Sharks got goals from Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture to erase three one-goal deficits but were unable to counter Rosen’s strike.

San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Nov. 2022 Democrats hope the remaining mail-in ballots will help Cortez Masto erase her opponent’s lead.

Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2022 Garcia used a 120 mph ace to help erase a break chance for Sakkari and extend her lead to 4-0 in the second set.

Schuyler Dixon, ajc, 7 Nov. 2022 Saturday night, the Houston Astros won the second championship in club history, their 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies producing a 4-2 World Series conquest that will not erase the stain attached to 2017.

Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'erase.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.