erase

IPA/ɪˈreɪz/
KK[ɪrˈes]IPA/ɪˈreɪs/

erase — verb

  • erasepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • eraseshe / she / it
  • erasedpast simple
  • erasing-ing form

1. to make a written or drawn mark disappear from a surface, typically by rubbing i

1.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to make a written or drawn mark disappear from a surface, typically by rubbing it with an eraser, a cloth, or your hand.

Example

Adina erased the pencil drawing from her notebook before starting a fresh sketch.

erase + pencil drawing / from + surface

The teacher asked Mei-Lin to erase the wrong answers from the whiteboard.

Common collocations
  • erase pencil marks
  • erase chalk
  • erase with an eraser
  • erase gently
  • erase carefully
Synonyms
  • rub out

    more informal, used mainly for pencil marks and common in British English

  • wipe off

    suggests a broader sweeping motion; used for marks on surfaces like boards or windows

  • remove

    much more general; does not imply rubbing or making something disappear completely

Antonyms
  • draw

    to create marks rather than remove them

  • write

    to add text rather than take it away

Grammar Patterns

erase + noun phrase

Usage Note

Commonly used with classroom objects such as 'pencil marks', 'chalk', and 'whiteboard'. The past tense 'erased' and present participle 'erasing' double the final consonant before adding -ed/-ing.

Common Mistakes

I erased the paper.
I erased the pencil marks from the paper.
'erase' takes the mark as object, not the surface.
She erased out the mistake.
She erased the mistake.
'erase' does not need a particle like 'out'.

2. to remove recorded information, such as files, songs, videos, or programs, from

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to remove recorded information, such as files, songs, videos, or programs, from a computer, phone, tape, or other device so that it no longer exists on that device.

Example

Mert accidentally erased the only copy of his wedding video from the hard drive.

passive context: accidentally erased; from + storage device

This software can erase all the data on your phone in under a minute.

Common collocations
  • erase data
  • erase files
  • erase recordings
  • erase from the hard drive
  • erase from the memory card
  • permanently erased
Synonyms
  • delete

    the most common computing term; can often be undone, whereas 'erase' often implies permanent removal

  • wipe

    implies cleaning a device completely (e.g., 'wipe the hard drive')

Antonyms
  • save

    to keep data on a device

  • store

    to keep information for later use

Grammar Patterns

erase + noun phrase

be erased (passive)

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (REMOVE MARKS): this sense only applies to digital or magnetic media. 'Delete' is more common in everyday computing contexts, while 'erase' often implies a more thorough or permanent removal.

Common Mistakes

I erased the photo from the wall.
I took the photo off the wall.
'erase' is for digital data or marks, not physical objects.
I erased the document on my computer but it went to the trash.
I deleted the document and it went to the trash.
'delete' is the standard verb for moving files to trash; 'erase' suggests permanent removal.

3. to force a thought, emotion, or past event out of your conscious mind so complet

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to force a thought, emotion, or past event out of your conscious mind so completely that it seems never to have existed — for instance, making the pain of a loss or the shame of a mistake disappear.

Example

New friendships helped Hari slowly erase the painful memories of the accident.

erase + painful memories / from one's mind

Felipe tried everything to erase the embarrassment he felt after his speech went wrong.

Common collocations
  • erase memories
  • erase feelings
  • erase from my mind
  • erase the past
  • completely erase
  • never erase
Synonyms
  • blot out

    more literary and intense; implies deliberate avoidance

  • forget

    simpler and more common; can be gradual or unintentional, while 'erase' suggests intentional effort

Antonyms
  • remember

    to keep a memory alive

  • recall

    to bring a memory back into conscious thought

Grammar Patterns

erase + abstract noun phrase

erase + from + memory/mind

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used figuratively and often appears with 'from' ('erase from my mind'). Subject can be time, travel, new experiences, or effort. Negative constructions ('nothing can erase') are common in emotional contexts.

Common Mistakes

I erased my bad dream.
I tried to erase the memory of my bad dream.
'erase' takes the memory/feeling as object, not the person's state.
The medicine erased his headache.
The medicine took away his headache.
'erase' is for memories and feelings, not physical pain.

4. to wipe away every piece of evidence that a person, object, occurrence, or featu

4.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to wipe away every piece of evidence that a person, object, occurrence, or feature was once present, leaving no proof behind.

Example

The invaders tried to erase every trace of the village by burning homes.

erase + every trace of; concrete destruction scene

The new government hoped to erase the inequality between rich and poor communities.

Common collocations
  • erase every trace
  • erase all signs
  • erase from history
  • erase from existence
  • completely erased
Synonyms
  • obliterate

    stronger and more violent; implies physical destruction

  • eliminate

    more neutral; often used in formal or strategic contexts

Antonyms
  • preserve

    to keep something intact for the future

  • create

    to bring something into existence

Grammar Patterns

erase + noun phrase

erase + every trace/sign of

Usage Note

Often used with 'every trace of' or 'all signs of' to emphasise complete removal. Can apply to concrete things (buildings, footprints) or abstract things (influence, culture). Stronger and more dramatic than sense 3 (OBLITERATE MEMORY), which focuses only on internal mental experience.

Common Mistakes

The rain erased the garden.
The rain erased the chalk drawings from the pavement.
'erase' needs something that was a mark or sign; use 'destroyed' for the garden.
She erased the cake she baked.
She ate the cake she baked.
'erase' is not a synonym for 'eat' or 'consume'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words involve taking something away, but they differ in medium and completeness. 'Erase' (sense 1) is the specific verb for making marks disappear by rubbing — used for pencil, chalk, and sometimes ink. 'Delete' belongs almost entirely to the digital world; you delete a file or a sentence in a document, and it can usually be undone. 'Rub out' is the informal British equivalent of 'erase' for pencil marks and carries a classroom feel. 'Wipe off' suggests a broader, sweeping action on a surface (a whiteboard, a window) and often involves a cloth or sponge. 'Remove' is the most general and neutral of the five — it works for any object in any context but does not convey the sense of making something completely disappear. For example, you remove a book from a shelf (not erase it), but you erase a chalk mark from a board. Choose 'erase' when you want to stress that the mark is gone as if it was never there.

erase ↗delete ↗rub out ↗wipe off ↗remove ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • erase from memory
  • erase from existence
  • erase every trace of
  • erase all signs of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'erase' comes from Latin 'eradere', meaning 'to scrape out' — formed from 'e-' (out) and 'radere' (to scrape). It entered English through French 'eraser' in the 1600s, first used for scraping away written letters. The modern senses expanded from physical rubbing to digital removal in the mid-1900s with magnetic tapes, and later to figurative uses such as erasing memories or evidence of existence.