Remove vs. Delete: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 29, 2023
Remove implies taking something away from its place or position, while Delete typically refers to erasing or making something cease to exist, especially in digital contexts.
Key Differences
Remove often conveys physical or spatial displacement, like moving an object from one location to another. Delete, on the other hand, suggests the elimination of data or content, primarily in digital or written forms. The essence of 'remove' is relocation, whereas 'delete' is about eradication.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
In usage, Remove can imply temporary or reversible action. For example, removing a painting from a wall doesn't imply destruction. In contrast, Delete often indicates a more permanent or irreversible action, like deleting a file from a computer, suggesting it's no longer retrievable in its original form.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Remove can also indicate the act of eliminating something non-physical, such as removing a person from a position. Delete, however, is commonly used in the context of text and data, signifying the act of permanently erasing information, like deleting a paragraph from an essay.
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Dec 29, 2023
When discussing administrative or procedural contexts, Remove can mean to relieve someone from duty or a role, which doesn’t imply destruction but rather a change in status. Delete in such contexts would be inappropriate as it implies erasing or wiping out something, which is not typically applicable to roles or positions.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Finally, Remove carries a sense of detachment or separation from a group, like removing a name from a list, while Delete resonates with the idea of completely obliterating that entity, as in deleting a name from a database, leaving no trace of its existence.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Reversibility
Can be temporary or reversible
Usually permanent or irreversible
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Implied Permanence
Less permanent, more about change
More permanent, implies finality
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Dec 29, 2023
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Remove and Delete Definitions
Remove
To get rid of something unwanted.
She removed the stain from her dress with some soap.
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Dec 29, 2023
Delete
To eliminate or cancel out information.
He deleted his social media accounts for privacy.
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Dec 29, 2023
Remove
To move from a place or position occupied
Removed the cups from the table.
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Oct 19, 2023
Delete
To remove or clear digital content or entries.
You can delete your search history for more privacy.
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Dec 29, 2023
Remove
To transfer or convey from one place to another
Removed the family to Texas.
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Delete
To erase or remove text or data.
I accidentally deleted an important email.
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Dec 29, 2023
Delete
To make something cease to exist or be in use.
The editor decided to delete the last paragraph of the article.
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Dec 29, 2023
Remove
To take away; withdraw
Removed the candidate's name from consideration.
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Oct 19, 2023
Delete
To expunge or obliterate written material or records.
Important documents were deleted from the archive.
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Dec 29, 2023
Delete
To cancel, strike out, or make impossible to be perceived
Deleted the expletives from the transcript with a marker.
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Oct 19, 2023
Delete
To remove from a document or record
Deleted the names from the computer file.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
To change one's place of residence or business; move
"In 1751, I removed from the country to the town" (David Hume).
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Oct 19, 2023
Delete
To remove (a file, for example) from a hard drive or other storage medium.
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Oct 19, 2023
Delete
To remove, get rid of or erase, especially written or printed material, or data on a computer or other device.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
Distance or degree of separation or remoteness
"to spill, though at a safe remove, the blood of brave men" (Anthony Burgess).
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Oct 19, 2023
Delete
(recorded entertainment industry) A remainder of a music or video release.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
(transitive) To move something from one place to another, especially to take away.
He removed the marbles from the bag.
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Oct 19, 2023
Delete
To blot out; to erase; to expunge; to dele; to omit.
I have, therefore, . . . inserted eleven stanzas which do not appear in Sir Walter Scott's version, and have deleted eight.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
(transitive) To discard, set aside, especially something abstract (a thought, feeling, etc.).
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
To dismiss or discharge from office.
The President removed many postmasters.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
A dish served to replace an earlier one during a meal; a part of a new course.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
(British) at some public schools A division of the school, especially the form prior to last
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
(dated) The transfer of one's home or business to another place; a move.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
To move away from the position occupied; to cause to change place; to displace; as, to remove a building.
Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark.
When we had dined, to prevent the ladies' leaving us, I generally ordered the table to be removed.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
To cause to leave a person or thing; to cause to cease to be; to take away; hence, to banish; to destroy; to put an end to; to kill; as, to remove a disease.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
To dismiss or discharge from office; as, the President removed many postmasters.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
To change place in any manner, or to make a change in place; to move or go from one residence, position, or place to another.
Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,I can not taint with fear.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
The act of removing; a removal.
This place should be at once both school and university, not needing a remove to any other house of scholarship.
And drags at each remove a lengthening chain.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
The transfer of one's business, or of one's domestic belongings, from one location or dwelling house to another; - in the United States usually called a move.
It is an English proverb that three removes are as bad as a fire.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
That which is removed, as a dish removed from table to make room for something else.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
The distance or space through which anything is removed; interval; distance; stage; hence, a step or degree in any scale of gradation; specifically, a division in an English public school; as, the boy went up two removes last year.
A freeholder is but one remove from a legislator.
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
Degree of figurative distance or separation;
Just one remove from madness
It imitates at many removes a Shakespearean tragedy
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
Remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, taking off, etc. or remove something abstract;
Remove a threat
Remove a wrapper
Remove the dirty dishes from the table
Take the gun from your pocket
This machine withdraws heat from the environment
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
Dispose of;
Get rid of these old shoes!
The company got rid of all the dead wood
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
Shift the position or location of, as for business, legal, educational, or military purposes;
He removed his children to the countryside
Remove the troops to the forest surrounding the city
Remove a case to another court
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
Kill intentionally and with premeditation;
The mafia boss ordered his enemies murdered
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
Get rid of something abstract;
The death of her mother removed the last obstacle to their marriage
God takes away your sins
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Oct 19, 2023
Remove
To move something from its place or position.
Please remove your shoes before entering the house.
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Dec 29, 2023
Remove
To eliminate or take away something.
The chef decided to remove nuts from the recipe due to allergies.
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Dec 29, 2023
Remove
To dismiss someone from a position or role.
The company had to remove the manager for misconduct.
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Dec 29, 2023
Remove
To detach or take off something.
He removed the cover from the car to reveal its new color.
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Dec 29, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is removing something always permanent?
Not necessarily, as removal can often be temporary or reversible.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can "remove" and "delete" be used interchangeably?
No, they have distinct contexts and connotations.
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Dec 29, 2023
Does deleting always imply irreversibility?
Generally, yes, especially in digital contexts where it means erasing completely.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is "remove" always physical?
No, it can also imply non-physical actions like removing someone from a position.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can "delete" be used for physical objects?
Rarely, it's predominantly used for digital or textual content.
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Dec 29, 2023
Does "remove" imply complete eradication?
Not always, it often implies relocation or displacement.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
What does it mean to remove someone from a list?
It means taking their name off the list, but not necessarily erasing it completely.
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Dec 29, 2023
Is "delete" applicable in non-digital contexts?
It can be used for non-digital texts, like deleting words from a written document.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can "delete" be used in physical contexts?
It's uncommon, as "delete" is mainly used for digital data or text.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Does "delete" mean the same as "erase"?
Yes, in many contexts, especially digital, they are synonymous.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is "delete" used in legal contexts?
Yes, like deleting clauses from contracts, it implies permanent removal.
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Dec 29, 2023
Can you remove something from a digital device?
Yes, like removing an app, but it doesn't always mean erasing it completely.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can "remove" be used in editing texts?
Yes, like removing a sentence, but it doesn't imply erasure like "delete."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is "delete" a stronger action than "remove"?
Generally, yes, as it often implies a more final and irreversible action.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can you remove a file from a computer?
Yes, like moving it to a different folder, but not necessarily deleting it.
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Dec 29, 2023
Can deleted files always be recovered?
Not always, recovery depends on the method of deletion and data storage.
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Dec 29, 2023
Does "delete" imply a traceless removal?
In digital contexts, it often does, suggesting no remaining evidence.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Is "remove" used in digital contexts?
Yes, but less frequently than "delete," like removing a device from a network.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 29, 2023
Can "remove" mean to make something cease to exist?
In some contexts, like removing a threat, it can imply elimination.
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Dec 29, 2023
What does it mean to delete a contact from a phone?
It means to permanently erase their information from your contact list.
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Dec 29, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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