efface

verb

ef·​face i-ˈfās 

e-

effaced; effacing

transitive verb

1

: to eliminate or make indistinct by or as if by wearing away a surface

coins with dates effaced by wear

also : to cause to vanish

daylight effaced the stars

2

: to make (oneself) modestly or shyly inconspicuous

effaceable

i-ˈfā-sə-bəl 

e-

adjective

effacer noun

Synonyms

• abolish
• annihilate
• black out
• blot out
• cancel
• clean (up)
• eradicate
• erase
• expunge
• exterminate
• extirpate
• liquidate
• obliterate
• root (out)
• rub out
• snuff (out)
• stamp (out)
• sweep (away)
• wipe out

Examples of efface in a Sentence

coins with dates effaced by wear

a memory effaced by time

Recent Examples on the Web

The white exterior peered at me with flat orifices obscured through the mist, barely distinguishable from the dark sky behind it, as though all the world beyond the dome was cut from the same slab, only slightly effaced. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024

The self gets effaced and re-created in so many cross hatches, small threads, and hypnotic patterns. —Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 28 Oct. 2024

Boosters of the seed vault sustain the logic of their effort in part by effacing the embarrassment of the flood. —Naomi Oreskes, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024

Beijing has also routinely sent ships and aircraft across the median line running through the Taiwan Strait, effacing a de facto boundary that was defined in 1955. —Isaac Kardon, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French esfacer, effacer, from e- + face face

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

efface

verb

ef·​face i-ˈfās 

e-

effaced; effacing

1

: wipe out sense 1, obliterate

2

: to make unclear by or as if by rubbing out

effaceable

-ˈfā-sə-bəl 

adjective

effacement

-ˈfās-mənt 

noun

effacer noun