effaces
Rubs completely out
Effaces means erases or removes, often by rubbing or wearing away: Time had effaced the inscription on the tombstone.
The word extends to anything that diminishes visibility or prominence.
To efface oneself is to stay in the background, avoiding attention—a self-effacing person is modest and unassuming.
She effaced all traces of her earlier work.
Destroys completely
- expungesOfficially removes or erases
- wipesRubs clean
- removesTakes something out
- deletesRemoves stored information
scrubs · eradicates · blots out · rubs out · eliminates · extinguishes · purges · clears
De-emphasizes significance of
- minimizesReduces to smallest extent
- withdrawsPulls out or removes
- shrinksDecreases in size
- recedesMoves gradually away
subordinates · diminishes · belittles · modesty · retiring · unassuming · meek · deferential
obliterates
Destroys completely
deletes · scrubs · eradicates · blots out · rubs out · eliminates · extinguishes · purges · clears · destroys
downplays
De-emphasizes significance of
recedes · subordinates · diminishes · belittles · modesty · retiring · unassuming · meek · deferential · submissive