"Erase" vs. "remove": the art of disappearance in language

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 06/10/2024, 13:45

English.me team member

Erase and remove. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both "erase" and "remove" refer to the act of taking something away or getting rid of something.

What is different?

Erase typically refers to rubbing out marks, such as pencil or chalk, or deleting information from memory or data storage. Remove is a broader term that applies to taking away or moving any object or element from its place or position.

Which one is more common?

Examples of usage

Erase

I need to erase the pencil marks from the paper.
The teacher asked the students to erase the board.
She wants to erase all memories of that place.

Remove

Please remove your shoes before entering the house.
He removed the old software to install the new version.
They will remove the fallen tree from the road.