etch
Americanverb (used with object)
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to cut, bite, or corrode with an acid or the like; engrave with an acid or the like, as to form a design in furrows that when charged with ink will give an impression on paper.
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to produce (a design, image, etc.) by this method, as on copper or glass.
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to outline clearly or sharply; delineate, as a person's features or character.
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to fix permanently in or implant firmly on the mind; root in the memory.
Our last conversation is etched in my memory.
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Geology. to cut (a feature) into the surface of the earth by means of erosion.
A deep canyon was etched into the land by the river's rushing waters.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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(tr) to wear away the surface of (a metal, glass, etc) by chemical action, esp the action of an acid
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to cut or corrode (a design, decoration, etc) on (a metal or other plate to be used for printing) by using the action of acid on parts not covered by wax or other acid-resistant coating
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(tr) to cut with or as if with a sharp implement
he etched his name on the table
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(tr; usually passive) to imprint vividly
the event was etched on her memory
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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etchsimple
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etchessimple
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have etchedperfect
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has etchedperfect
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am etchingprogressive
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are etchingprogressive
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is etchingprogressive
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have been etchingperfect progressive
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has been etchingperfect progressive
Past
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etchedsimple
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had etchedperfect
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was etchingprogressive
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were etchingprogressive
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had been etchingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of etch
1625–35; < Dutch etsen < German ätzen to etch, originally cause to eat; cognate with Old English ettan to graze; akin to eat
Explanation
If you etch something you are cutting into it. You can etch "I ♥ U" into a tree trunk with a pocket knife or etch your initials in your desk with a key (if the teacher's not looking). However and whatever you etch, it is generally considered a deep and lasting mark. The figurative use of etch is just as common as its literal sense. A particularly powerful memory, image or emotion is said to "etch itself" into your mind, meaning, like that piece of graffiti you etched into the tree trunk, it won't be likely to be erased anytime soon. Incise and carve are often interchangeable with etch.
Vocabulary lists containing etch
Holes
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The Poet X
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The Wild Robot
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
And even if they are not successful in lifting the World Cup, they can etch their name in history by scoring the most goals in the competition.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
As chip makers look to add manufacturing capacity to meet steep demand, deposition and etch technology are driving Ichor’s growth, Shi said.
From MarketWatch ● May 9, 2026
Still other presidents seem to treat foreign policy as a legacy play, a chance to etch their names for the ages to a degree that domestic politics just can’t match.
From Slate ● Mar. 10, 2026
The tech giant has pumped jobs, people and money into the community of roughly 8,000, doubling many home prices and enticing builders to etch new neighborhoods into surrounding hillsides.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2025
Freddie tapped the lockers with the metal pen clip he had used to etch the graffiti.
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
From “Down goes Frazier!” to “Do you believe in miracles?” each one is a master class in timing and brevity that etches one singular moment straight into legend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
A weekend the Mercedes driver etches his name into the history books as the youngest driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
At her packing house, durians are passed under a laser that etches a serial number onto the skin of each fruit.
From New York Times ● Jun. 16, 2024
"If you want to etch silicon while leaving a smooth surface, you should use another reactant than fluorine. It should be a reactant that etches uniformly all crystalline planes," Barsukov said.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 9, 2024
A frown etches at the corners of his mouth.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
The pain was etched all over Tuchel's face.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
He is now proudly showing off his huge £550 tribute to the trophy, with the words "England World Cup Winner 2026" etched in capitals underneath.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Even Mexican goalkeeper Memo Ochoa has gotten in on the action, posting a selfie on Instagram wearing a straw cowboy hat with “¿Y si sí?” etched on it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
"She's dead," he said hours later, misery etched into his face.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
“An officer. He paid extra to have stars etched in his buckle to represent a new union.”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
The event includes Woman with an Arm Tattoo, an etching depicting Sue Tilley, and runs until 13 September.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
These include antitheft devices, paint protection coatings, etching the vehicle’s identification number into the windows or other parts and accessories such as door-edge guards and floor mats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
The venture would also presumably need equipment for etching and deposition, which are manufacturing and packaging processes.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 23, 2026
“By no means are we etching anything in stone, but putting a framework out there to guide the community,” said Jerry Chow, IBM’s chief technology officer of quantum-centric computing.
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026
All he needs is a toothpick in the corner of his mouth to be an ad for rural democracy, as in an etching.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
