deleted; deleting
: to eliminate especially by blotting out, cutting out, or erasing
delete a passage in a manuscript
delete a computer file
The email was accidentally deleted.
Synonyms
Examples of delete in a Sentence
Delete this name from the list.
When the movie was shown on TV all the swearwords had been deleted.
Recent Examples on the Web
Services like Tweet Delete can automatically delete years worth of social media posts, replies, and likes—either wholesale or within a specific range—from your accounts.
—
Natalie Schriefer, WIRED, 24 Apr. 2024
The mother of one then posted from the hospital over the subsequent weeks, including sharing shots of herself receiving visits from her pets, before deleting all of the photos from Instagram.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
But what if someone wants to delete all of their screenshots in one go?
—Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
Among other protections, consumers have the right to access, delete and correct their data, as well as to opt out of the sale or use of the data for targeted advertising.
—Jonathan Moens, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
The profile picture for the account was changed and messages with Germany Jr. were deleted hours after the deadly shooting, according to the affidavit.
—Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to delete references to a 2023 Economist/YouGov survey about 20% of young Americans being Holocaust deniers.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2024
Garland is strongest with impressions: chirping birds over bloody lawns, the laconic humor of exhausted soldiers on a stakeout, a quick shot of Lee deleting some of her own photos, a private mode of self-care.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Lee deletes a very powerful photo at a certain point.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Natalie Schriefer, WIRED, 24 Apr. 2024
The mother of one then posted from the hospital over the subsequent weeks, including sharing shots of herself receiving visits from her pets, before deleting all of the photos from Instagram.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
But what if someone wants to delete all of their screenshots in one go?
—Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
Among other protections, consumers have the right to access, delete and correct their data, as well as to opt out of the sale or use of the data for targeted advertising.
—Jonathan Moens, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024
The profile picture for the account was changed and messages with Germany Jr. were deleted hours after the deadly shooting, according to the affidavit.
—Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to delete references to a 2023 Economist/YouGov survey about 20% of young Americans being Holocaust deniers.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Apr. 2024
Garland is strongest with impressions: chirping birds over bloody lawns, the laconic humor of exhausted soldiers on a stakeout, a quick shot of Lee deleting some of her own photos, a private mode of self-care.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Lee deletes a very powerful photo at a certain point.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'delete.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near delete
Cite this Entry
“Delete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delete. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delete
verb
de·lete
di-ˈlēt 
deleted; deleting
: to eliminate especially by blotting out, cutting out, or erasing
delete a part of the story
delete a computer file
deletion
noun
di-ˈlē-shən
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