delete

[dih-leet]

verb (used with object)

deleted, deleting 

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 Word Forms

• deletable adjective
• redelete verb (used with object)
• undeleted 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

The tribunal also heard he had deleted WhatsApp from his phone in an attempt to frustrate the investigation into his conduct.

Read more on BBC

YouTube had to delete hundreds of AI-generated videos featuring celebrities, including Taylor Swift, that promoted Medicare scams.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The jury heard how a few days later Mr Khan posted a response, in which he demanded Farage delete his Youtube video.

Read more on BBC

One wonders about a supposedly rehabilitative penal system that refuses to foster that kind of hope, that only pulverizes, exploits and, to cover its misdeeds, deletes.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"All child data is now being deleted. No more remains and this can comfort parents," one of the cyber-criminals involved told the BBC.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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

When To Use

What is basic definition of delete?

Delete means to remove or destroy something, specifically something that is written, printed, or stored on a computer.Before the Internet, delete often referred to removing something from drafts of books, letters, newspapers, and other materials. Today, delete often refers to either hitting a key on a keyboard that erases text or telling a computer to get rid of a file, as by placing a document in the trash can. A person may also want to delete (deactivate) a social media account.

• Real-life examples: When you’re writing an essay, you might delete some paragraphs and add others. To better use data storage space, you might delete all of your junk email or delete a bunch of photos from your smartphone.



• Used in a sentence: The reporter deleted the final two paragraphs of the story in order to make it shorter.