delete

/dɪˈliːt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈliːt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈlēt dē-/ (ame, mw)

delete — verb

  • deletepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • deleteshe / she / it
  • deletedpast simple
  • deleting-ing form

1. to remove a word, letter, or other mark from something written, for example by c

1.動詞及物A2
釋義

to remove a word, letter, or other mark from something written, for example by crossing it out or rubbing it off the page.

例句

Selim deleted the last sentence of his letter before mailing it.

delete + from + [document] to correct before sending

Soraya used a pencil to delete the wrong answers on her test paper.

同義詞
  • cross out

    more specific — means drawing a line through written text; 'delete' is broader

  • erase

    implies rubbing off or removing without a trace; 'delete' can mean crossing out visibly

  • remove

    more general — doesn't specify the method of removal

  • strike through

    formal/editorial — used in proofreading marks

反義詞
  • add

    to put text in rather than take it out

  • insert

    to place new text between existing text

文法句型

delete + noun phrase (text that was written)

delete + noun phrase + from + noun phrase

用法筆記

The object is almost always a piece of text — a word, sentence, paragraph, name, or list entry. This sense is less common in everyday speech than the digital sense; it appears most often in editing and proofreading contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I deleted the wrong from the list.
✅I deleted the wrong name from the list.
💡'delete' is transitive and must be followed by a direct object (what you delete).
❌She deleted the sentence and then wrote it again.' (sounds like a computer action).
✅She crossed out the sentence and rewrote it.
💡for physical pen-and-paper deletion, 'cross out' or 'strike out' is more natural than 'delete'.

2. to remove information, files, or other digital content from a computer, phone, o

2.動詞及物A1
釋義

to remove information, files, or other digital content from a computer, phone, or similar device so that it is no longer there — for example, getting rid of old emails or erasing an unwanted photo.

例句

Christopher accidentally deleted the photo album from his phone last night.

delete + from + [device]; adverb: accidentally

Tanvi deleted all the old emails to free up space on her laptop.

同義詞
  • erase

    stronger implication of complete, irreversible removal; common in computing contexts

  • remove

    more general; can mean moving to trash rather than permanent deletion

  • wipe

    informal; implies clearing everything, e.g. 'wipe the hard drive'

  • clear

    used with cache, history, or browsing data specifically

反義詞
  • save

    to keep a copy rather than remove

  • restore

    to bring back something that was deleted

  • keep

    to decide not to delete

文法句型

delete + noun phrase (digital content)

delete + noun phrase + from + noun phrase

be deleted (passive)

用法筆記

By far the most common modern sense. The object can be any digital item: a file, photo, email, message, contact, app, account, or piece of data. Frequently appears with 'accidentally', 'by mistake', or 'permanently'. The passive form ('The file was deleted') is very common in error messages and technical writing.

常見錯誤

❌I deleted from my phone the photo.
✅I deleted the photo from my phone.
💡the direct object must come immediately after 'delete'; the location follows 'from'.
❌The computer deleted the virus.' (when it happened automatically).
✅The antivirus software deleted the infected file.
💡name the agent that performed the deletion.