How to pronounce erase
Say it like ih-RAYS. Erase has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RAYS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce erase. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ih
- RAYS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Erase pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- RAYSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of erase
American and British speakers say erase in essentially the same way: /ɪˈreɪs/ in the US and /ɪˈreɪz/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-RAYZ.
What does erase mean?
- remove from memory or existence“The Turks erased the Armenians in 1915”
- remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing“Please erase the formula on the blackboard--it is wrong!”
- wipe out digitally or magnetically recorded information“Who erased the files from my hard disk?”
Where does erase come from?
From Latin ērāsus, past participle of ērādere (“to scrape, to abrade”), from ex- (“out of”) + radere (“to scrape”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with erase
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of erase.
Questions about saying erase
How do you pronounce erase?
Say ih-RAYS. The American pronunciation is /ɪˈreɪs/. In British English it is /ɪˈreɪz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in erase?
Erase has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RAYS). Broken into parts: ih · RAYS.
Do Americans and Brits say erase the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪˈreɪs/ and the British form is /ɪˈreɪz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.