Erase is a verb meaning to remove or wipe out material, data, or marks, often by rubbing or deleting. It denotes making something vanish or become nonexistent, typically leaving no trace. In everyday use, it can describe cleaning, erasing memory, or eliminating an error. It implies deliberate action to eliminate something from a surface or record.
"She used an eraser to erase the pencil marks from the page."
"The software can erase the file permanently from the hard drive."
"He tried to erase the chalkboard clean before the lesson."
"Time cannot erase the memories, but it can dull their sharp edges."
Erase comes from the Latin ex- meaning ‘out of’ or ‘away’ and rādēre meaning ‘to scrape, erase, or rub away.’ The form entered English via Old French esraser or esrayer, influenced by the French esrayer ‘to erase’ and the Italian tirare via Latin rādēre. Early uses in Middle English referred to erasing marks or inscriptions, evolving to include erasure in memory and data contexts. By the 17th–18th centuries, erasure broadened to abstract removals, including political, legal, and digital contexts. The semantic development tracks a shift from physical removal (scraping, rubbing) to symbolic removal (records, mistakes, digital traces). The word’s core sense—rapid removal or obliteration—remained stable even as technologies transformed the objects erased from (surface, page, device, or mind). First known use in English literature appears in the 15th–16th centuries in manuscripts discussing the erasure of written text and marks, gradually cementing its current range of meanings. In modern usage, erasure is a technical term in computing, art restoration, and education, while retaining the everyday meaning of removing or wiping away. The etymology reflects a lineage from tactile, physical action to broad metaphorical applications.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Erase" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Erase" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Erase"
-ase sounds
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Pronounce as /ɪˈreɪz/. The first syllable is a short, unstressed 'i' sound; the second is a stressed diphthong /eɪ/ as in 'say' or 'raise.' End with a voiced alveolar sibilant /z/. Tip: keep jaw relatively closed for /ɪ/, then glide into the open-mid to close-mid /eɪ/ transition before the final /z/. Audio reference: listen for the stress on the second syllable in most dialects and the clear /z/ at the end.
Common errors include pronouncing the first syllable with a full (/iː/) vowel as in 'see' or flattening the diphthong to a pure /eː/ and misplacing the /z/ as /s/ in rapid speech. Another mistake is de-stressing the second syllable, giving /ɪˈrez/ instead of /ɪˈreɪz/. Corrections: use a relaxed /ɪ/ in the first syllable, glide to /eɪ/ with a clear vowel transition, and finish with a voiced /z/. Practice minimal pairs to stabilize the diphthong and voicing.
In US/UK/AU, the primary pronunciation remains /ɪˈreɪz/. A noticeable difference is non-rhoticity in some UK accents, where linking may soften the /r/; however, /r/ is typically not pronounced in syllable-final position. US and AU speakers clearly voice the /z/ and maintain the /eɪ/ diphthong; UK speakers may have a slightly clipped /ɪ/ before the /eɪ/. Stress remains on the second syllable in most dialects. Overall, differences are subtle and centered on vowel quality and r-coloring.
The difficulty lies in coordinating the diphthong /eɪ/ with a final voiced /z/ after a short /ɪ/ in the first syllable, which can tempt speakers to reduce the /ɪ/ to a schwa or mispronounce the final consonant as /s/. Also, some learners misplace the primary stress, saying /ˈiːreɪz/ or /ɪˈrez/. Focus on a crisp /ɪ/ before the diphthong, keep the mouth open for /eɪ/, and maintain voicing in /z/.
A unique aspect is the temporary gliding from a lighter /ɪ/ into the strong /eɪ/ and then the voiceless-voiced transition into /z/. The nucleus shifts from a short vowel to a high, tensed diphthong, then ends with a voiced sibilant that may be devoiced at sentence end. Attention to the transition and final voicing helps keep the word natural in fluent speech.
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