delete

[ dih-leet ]

verb (used with object)

, de·let·ed, de·let·ing.

1. to strike out or remove (something written or printed); cancel; erase; expunge.

   Synonyms: eradicate

delete

/ dɪˈliːt /

verb

1. tr to remove (something printed or written); erase; cancel; strike out

Other Words From

• de·leta·ble adjective
• rede·lete verb (used with object) redeleted redeleting
• unde·leted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of delete¹

1485–95; < Latin dēlētus (past participle of dēlēre to destroy), equivalent to dēl- destroy + -ē- thematic vowel + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of delete¹

C17: from Latin dēlēre to destroy, obliterate

Synonym Study

See cancel.

Example Sentences

“Every year, the noose tightens a little more. We finally have a mandate to delete the mountain of choking regulations that do not serve the greater good.”

From Los Angeles Times

Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, a professor at the University of Oxford and author of the 2011 book Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age, told me that digital tools have upended centuries-old practices of retaining our memories.

From Slate

And messaging apps like WhatsApp introduced settings that automatically delete messages.

From Slate

You don’t often see or hear from them – but these are the people whose job it is to review and then, when necessary, delete content that either gets reported by other users, or is automatically flagged by tech tools.

From BBC

And though she has since deleted this comment, she didn't delete it fast enough, and feeds soon flooded with commentary from an expanse of people calling for her head.

From Salon

Related Words

• annul
• black out
• cross out
• cut out
• destroy
• eliminate
• erase
• expunge
• omit
• remove
• wipe out