# erased

/iˈɹeɪst/ (US) · /ɪɹˈeɪzd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/erased
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. removed or rubbed out

adjective · CEFR B2

describing writing, marks, or data that have been removed or deleted.

For teachers: referring to marks, text, or digital data that have been physically or electronically removed from a medium.

- The erased pencil marks were still visible if you looked closely at the paper.
- Forensic experts managed to recover several erased files from the hard drive that the suspect thought were gone forever.

### 2. forgotten or ignored

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

describing a person, group, or memory that has been completely forgotten or treated as if they never existed.

For teachers: figuratively describing a person, social group, or historical event that has been systematically ignored or removed from public consciousness.

- The book tells the stories of erased women who helped build the city.
- The documentary aims to restore the erased history of the indigenous communities that lived in this valley before the industrial expansion.

### 3. jagged edge

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

having a rough or jagged edge that looks like it was torn off.

For teachers: describing an object or heraldic symbol that appears forcibly torn off, leaving a jagged or uneven edge.

- The erased edges of the old document made it difficult to read the dates.
- In heraldry, an erased head of a lion is depicted with a ragged neck, as if it were violently separated from the body.

Usage: In technical heraldic descriptions, this term is distinct from 'couped', which refers to a clean, straight cut.

## Examples

- The pencil marks are now erased from the paper.
- After the system update, all the old files were erased to make room for new data.
- The historian noted that while the physical monuments were destroyed, the cultural impact of the era could not be so easily erased from the collective memory of the people.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.