delete
Americanverb (used with object)
-
deletes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
deleted,
past participle, past
-
deleting
present participle
verb
Usage
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.
Synonym Usage
See cancel.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
deletesimple
-
deletessimple
-
have deletedperfect
-
has deletedperfect
-
am deletingprogressive
-
are deletingprogressive
-
is deletingprogressive
-
have been deletingperfect progressive
-
has been deletingperfect progressive
Past
-
deletedsimple
-
had deletedperfect
-
was deletingprogressive
-
were deletingprogressive
-
had been deletingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of delete
1485–95; < Latin dēlētus (past participle of dēlēre to destroy), equivalent to dēl- destroy + -ē- thematic vowel + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
The author looked at the computer screen in horror. With one keystroke she had deleted her entire manuscript. Delete means to erase. Delete has its roots in Latin and was first used to mean destroy. In modern usage, delete means to remove completely. Delete used in writing means to edit by removing, often done by drawing a line through the text to be deleted . This process is also called “blue-penciling,” due to the use of the blue colored pencil that some editors use.
Vocabulary lists containing delete
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Fear and Loathing in Cleveland: Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
He ordered Hanson to delete the tweet and pay Faruqi's legal costs.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Frequently review and delete the AI’s financial memories.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
The woman alleged that Jackson repeatedly refused to delete the video and then taunted her with it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
And it reveals how Southampton then attempted to delete images of the intern from the internet.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
So I delete it, and then stare at my phone, and then retype it without the exclamation point, and then delete it again, until I finally give up and turn on Fruits Basket.
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
OpenAI automatically deletes temporary conversations from servers within 30 days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Claude-powered AI coding agent deletes entire company database in 9 seconds.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026
When he arrives home, he stops the stream and deletes the pre-recorded file.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026
He said he deletes the entries of ICE agents who have quit.
From Slate ● Jan. 28, 2026
Ben deletes, retypes: What are the differences between America's far past and its recent past?
From "Towers Falling" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
She and her friends have a “no phones” rule at meals and many have deleted TikTok.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Some data going back to late December will be deleted as a result, and Manus urged users impacted by the change to back up their data.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Fraser had deleted texts from his own phone to conceal his relationship with Broadus.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
They did not stop even after the protest had ended - and eventually I deleted the post.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
I shoved the iPod into my backpack, peeved about the deleted playlist and Mrs. B’s snarky comments.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Now he’s gone dark, deleting his X.com account after exchanging volleys with a radio reporter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
"After deleting Mitch, we examined, every few hours, the effect that had on more than 100 substances taking part in metabolism in human cells," Chourasia explains.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 3, 2026
On Wednesday night, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported being told that “the aerial image of the crowds from last week’s his rally enraged him so much that officials ended up deleting them.”
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
The updates included more advanced photo editing capabilities, amplifying existing Apple features and making it possible to spatially adjust photos in myriad ways, altering the framing in addition to deleting unwanted people or background objects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
Just as I’d finished deleting these messages, I received another incoming call.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
