erase

B1 · Intermediate Computing

v. to remove information from a computer, phone, or hard drive.

v. to obliterate data from a storage medium by clearing, overwriting, or demagnetizing.

“Make sure you erase all your personal files before selling your old laptop.”

“The technician had to erase the entire hard drive to ensure that no traces of the malware remained in the system.”

C1 · Advanced Academic

v. to treat a group of people or their history as if they do not exist.

v. to disregard or marginalise a group or identity, effectively removing them from public consciousness or historical records.

“Critics argued that the film's script tried to erase the contributions of women in science.”

“Historians have often been accused of erasing the experiences of indigenous populations when documenting the colonial era.”

C2 · Proficiency Slang

v. to kill or murder someone.

v. to assassinate or eliminate a person.

“In the movie, the spy was ordered to erase the witness before he could talk.”

“The hitman was hired to erase any potential rivals who might interfere with the cartel's expansion into the city.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Computing Technical

n. the act of removing or deleting data.

n. the specific operation or instance of deleting data from a storage medium.

“The system log showed a manual erase of the security footage at midnight.”

“A secure erase is required to prevent the recovery of sensitive information from discarded hardware.”