Explanation at your level:
You use delete when you want to remove something. If you have a photo on your phone and you don't like it, you delete it. It is like using an eraser.
When you work on a computer, you often make mistakes. You can delete the wrong words and type the right ones. It is very easy to do.
In the digital age, we delete files to save space. It is important to be careful because once you delete something, it is often gone forever.
The term delete has become synonymous with digital hygiene. We often talk about deleting accounts or data to protect our privacy online.
Beyond the literal, delete is used metaphorically. One might suggest deleting a bad habit or a negative experience from one's life, implying a total erasure of that influence.
Etymologically, delete carries the weight of delere. In literary contexts, it implies a permanent removal, a blotting out of existence that transcends mere digital interaction.
Mot en 30 secondes
- Means to remove
- Common in computing
- Past tense is deleted
- Do not say delete out
When you delete something, you are essentially making it disappear. In our digital world, this is a daily action. Whether it is an old email, a blurry photo, or a typo in a report, deleting helps us keep our digital spaces tidy.
Think of it as the modern equivalent of using an eraser on a piece of paper. You are clearing away the old to make room for the new. It is a fundamental function that gives you control over your information.
The word delete comes from the Latin word delere, which means to destroy, blot out, or erase. It entered the English language in the 16th century.
Originally, it was used in the context of writing and editing manuscripts. As technology advanced, the word found its perfect home in computing. It is fascinating how a word from ancient Rome became the most common command on a modern computer keyboard!
You will most often hear delete used with digital objects. Common collocations include delete a file, delete a message, or delete an account.
In a formal setting, you might use it to describe removing a paragraph from a contract. It is a very neutral term, making it appropriate for both casual tech support chats and professional office documentation.
While delete itself isn't a core part of many idioms, related concepts exist. 1. Wipe the slate clean: To start over. 2. Delete from memory: To intentionally forget something. 3. Hit the delete key: To remove something quickly. 4. Cross off the list: To remove an item. 5. Rub out: An older way of saying remove.
Delete is a regular verb. The past tense is deleted and the present participle is deleting. The stress is on the second syllable: de-LETE.
It rhymes with complete, compete, and repeat. It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes an object (you delete something).
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'deleterious', which means causing harm.
Pronunciation Guide
dee-LEET
dee-LEET
Common Errors
- Pronouncing it as 'DEE-leet' (stress on first syllable)
- Adding an extra 'e' sound at the end
- Confusing 'delete' with 'delight'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy
Standard
Standard
Easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avancé
Grammar to Know
Transitive Verbs
I deleted the file.
Past Tense Regular
Deleted.
Imperative Mood
Delete it!
Examples by Level
I delete the photo.
I remove the picture.
Simple present tense.
Please delete this.
Please remove this.
Imperative form.
He deleted the file.
He removed the file.
Past tense.
Don't delete it.
Do not remove it.
Negative imperative.
I am deleting it.
I am removing it now.
Present continuous.
Can I delete this?
Is it okay to remove?
Modal verb.
She deleted the email.
She removed the message.
Past tense.
We delete old data.
We remove old info.
Simple present.
I need to delete these files.
Did you delete the message?
She deleted the wrong line.
He deleted his account.
Please delete the extra space.
They are deleting old logs.
You should delete that app.
I deleted the document by mistake.
The software will delete temporary files automatically.
I accidentally deleted the entire folder.
Make sure to delete sensitive information.
He felt relieved after he deleted the angry draft.
She decided to delete her social media profile.
The system prompts you before you delete anything.
You can recover files before you permanently delete them.
Deleting cookies can improve browser speed.
The editor deleted the controversial paragraph.
I had to delete the cache to fix the error.
She deleted the contact from her phone.
Deleting the evidence was his only option.
The company deleted the outdated policy.
You should delete any redundant code.
He deleted the video after it went viral.
Deleting the history helps protect your privacy.
The author deleted several chapters to improve the pacing.
He deleted the memory of that day from his mind.
The government deleted the records from the public archive.
She deleted the offensive comment immediately.
The architect deleted the unnecessary features from the design.
He felt as though he had deleted a part of his past.
The software allows you to delete entries in bulk.
They deleted the reference to the original source.
The decree effectively deleted the rights of the citizens.
He sought to delete his digital footprint entirely.
The passage was deleted from the final manuscript.
She deleted the notion that success was accidental.
The system architecture requires you to delete orphans.
The artist deleted the background to focus on the subject.
He deleted the entire sequence of events from his report.
The committee deleted the clause to avoid conflict.
Synonymes
Antonymes
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"wipe the slate clean"
Start fresh
Let's wipe the slate clean.
casual"erase from memory"
Forget
I want to erase that from my memory.
neutral"cross off"
Remove from a list
I crossed off the tasks.
neutral"burn the bridges"
Remove return path
Don't burn your bridges.
idiomatic"cut out"
Remove a piece
Cut out the bad part.
casual"sweep under the rug"
Hide/remove from view
Don't sweep it under the rug.
casualEasily Confused
Both mean remove
Erase is for boards/tape; delete is for digital
Erase the board vs delete the file
General meaning
Remove is broader; delete is specific to data
Remove the chair vs delete the email
Both mean empty
Clear is for a whole area; delete is for an item
Clear the screen vs delete the icon
Both stop things
Cancel is for plans; delete is for objects
Cancel the meeting vs delete the file
Sentence Patterns
Subject + delete + Object
I deleted the document.
Subject + delete + Object + from + Source
He deleted the photo from his phone.
Please + delete + Object
Please delete the draft.
Subject + will + delete + Object
The system will delete it.
Subject + have/has + deleted + Object
I have deleted the file.
Famille de mots
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Apparenté
How to Use It
9/10
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
Delete already means to remove, so 'out' is redundant.
Spelling error.
Redundant preposition.
Keep it simple.
Wrong tense for past event.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine your computer screen is a whiteboard.
Digital Context
Use it for files, not physical trash.
Social Media
Deleting a post is a common action.
Regular Verb
Just add -ed for past.
Stress
Always stress the second syllable.
Avoid Redundancy
Don't say 'delete out'.
Latin Roots
It is very old!
Flashcards
Pair 'delete' with 'file'.
Editing
Use 'delete' to describe removing text.
Clarity
It is a very clear, direct word.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
De-lete: 'De' (remove) + 'lete' (let go). Let it go!
Visual Association
A giant eraser rubbing out a computer screen.
Word Web
Défi
Try to delete one unnecessary file from your phone today.
Origine du mot
Latin
Original meaning: To destroy or blot out
Contexte culturel
None, though 'deleting' people on social media can be seen as a social slight.
Used ubiquitously in office and home tech culture.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Computing
- Delete key
- Delete file
- Delete permanently
Writing
- Delete the sentence
- Delete the paragraph
- Delete the draft
Social Media
- Delete a post
- Delete a comment
- Delete an account
Office
- Delete the record
- Delete the entry
- Delete the column
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever deleted a file by mistake?"
"Do you delete your emails often?"
"Is it easy to delete an account online?"
"What is the first thing you delete on your phone?"
"Do you think we delete too much information?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you deleted something important.
Why is it hard to delete old photos?
What should we delete from our daily routines?
Is digital deletion permanent?
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsIt is primarily a verb, but can be used as a noun in 'the delete key'.
Only in slang/social media contexts.
Deleted.
Yes, but 'delete' is more common for digital files.
To blot out.
dee-LEET.
It is neutral.
No, it is redundant.
Teste-toi
I want to ___ this file.
Delete is the correct verb for files.
What does delete mean?
Delete means to remove.
You can delete a physical object like a chair.
Delete is usually for data or text.
Word
Signification
Synonyms and antonyms.
Subject-Verb-Object order.
Score : /5
Summary
Delete is the essential digital action of removing information to keep things organized.
- Means to remove
- Common in computing
- Past tense is deleted
- Do not say delete out
Memory Palace
Imagine your computer screen is a whiteboard.
Digital Context
Use it for files, not physical trash.
Social Media
Deleting a post is a common action.
Regular Verb
Just add -ed for past.
Exemple
I used the delete key to fix the spelling mistake in my message.
Related Content
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
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