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.
The footage was erased but during an investigation the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau was able to recover it. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2025 The Sharks erased a two-goal deficit in the third period, killed off a penalty in overtime, and saw Tyler Toffoli and Fabian Zetterlund both score goals in the shootout to earn a dramatic 3-2 win over the Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025 However, the fact the show includes Laurie’s Christianity while simultaneously erasing a scene featuring a trans character hints at Disney’s embrace of a cultural shift towards traditional conservatism during the second Trump administration. Abby Monteil, Them, 4 Mar. 2025 The New York Times reported Monday that DOGE, the brainchild of tech billionaire Elon Musk, erased or altered more than 1,000 contracts allegedly canceled by the Trump administration over the weekend. Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Erase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erase. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

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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