erased; erasing; erases
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
: to yield to erasure
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
Still, the Biden administration erased student loan debt for more than 5 million borrowers through other forgiveness programs.
—
Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2025
While the Yankees made two errors in the game, a pickoff play between Fried and Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base erased a two-base mistake from Oswaldo Cabrera in the fourth.
—Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2025
After obliterating the federal office on long COVID and clawing back billions in COVID funding from state health departments, the Trump administration has now entirely erased the online hub for federal COVID-19 resources.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
To be a trans person anywhere in the United States at this moment, when a new presidential administration is openly working to erase transgender people from existence, is dangerous.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for erase
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show current usage.
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Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2025
While the Yankees made two errors in the game, a pickoff play between Fried and Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base erased a two-base mistake from Oswaldo Cabrera in the fourth.
—Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2025
After obliterating the federal office on long COVID and clawing back billions in COVID funding from state health departments, the Trump administration has now entirely erased the online hub for federal COVID-19 resources.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
To be a trans person anywhere in the United States at this moment, when a new presidential administration is openly working to erase transgender people from existence, is dangerous.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for erase
Cite this Entry
“Erase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erase. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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