backspace

USAGE SUMMARY

"backspace" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It can be used to refer to the action of deleting the character immediately before the cursor on a computer keyboard press. Example sentence: I had to backspace to correct a few typos in my manuscript.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

You have to backspace over everything you've typed.

The New York Times - Tech

Most were written by ordinary users: people with a few thousand followers whose non-censored messages revealed otherwise unexceptional lives, of dinners with family and frustrations with traffic jams.In this section No exit HK backspace, backspace ReprintsMany clearly crossed the line of tolerated discussion in China.

The Economist

The same is true if you correctly type the swear word, then a space and a backspace.

The Economist

Employed in all personal computers and terminals, it represents 128 characters (and operations such as backspace and carriage return) in the form of seven-bit binary numbers i.e., as a string of seven 1s and 0s.

Encyclopedia Britannica

I kept it for years, enjoying all sorts of things about it – the ding at the end of the line, the way they'd saved money on the keyboard by making you write an exclamation mark with an apostrophe, backspace, full stop manoeuvre.

Independent

He almost never uses the backspace, delete, or cut-and-paste keys.

The New Yorker

Once you've entered a name, you can backspace over it to erase the last name for informality's sake, or click in the middle to edit the first, turning "Kenneth Smith" into "Kenneth" or "Smith".

The New York Times - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

(And no copy editor ever backspaced so assiduously to poke in the second "s" and "l" to override the autocorrect).

The New Yorker

He makes charts — a personal specialty — of the third of a million e-mails he has sent since 1989; of his 100 million keystrokes (fully 7 percent are backspaces!).

The New York Times

No, I was misrepresenting "so" as "of", "my" as "to", "in" as "by", "as" as, once, interestingly, "proot" (go figure?) and the rest, and wasting a ludicrous amount of time backspacing.

The Guardian

Temp secretary in the pre-computer age before the wonders of backspacing and delete keys.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical writing, use "backspace" when referring to the specific function of deleting characters behind the cursor.

Common error

Avoid using "delete" when you specifically mean to remove characters to the left of the cursor. "Delete" typically removes characters to the right of the cursor, whereas "backspace" removes them to the left.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "backspace" is a noun, referring to a key on a keyboard. It can also function as a verb, describing the act of deleting characters. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Encyclopedias

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "backspace" functions primarily as a noun and verb related to deleting characters in computing. It appears frequently in News & Media and Encyclopedia sources, reflecting its common usage in both general and technical contexts. Ludwig AI confirms that the term is grammatically correct and widely understood. When writing, remember that "backspace" specifically refers to deleting characters to the left of the cursor, while "delete" removes characters to the right. Using appropriate alternatives such as "delete key" or "remove character" can also enhance clarity depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delete key

Refers to a key specifically designated for deleting characters.

delete the previous character

Explicitly states the action of deleting the preceding character.

remove character

Describes the action of taking away a character from text.

eliminate a character

Formally describes the removal of a character.

undo typing

Implies reversing the action of typing something.

clear the last entry

Describes the removal of the most recent input.

erase text

Indicates the act of clearing written content.

take out a letter

Specifically refers to removing a single letter.

correct error

Focuses on fixing mistakes made while typing.

rub out

Informal way to describe erasing or deleting.

FAQs

How do I use "backspace" in a sentence?

You can use "backspace" to describe the action of deleting characters behind the cursor, as in "I had to "backspace" several times to correct my typo."

What's the difference between "backspace" and "delete"?

"Backspace" removes the character to the left of the cursor, while "delete" removes the character to the right of the cursor. They serve different but related functions in text editing.

What can I say instead of "backspace"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "delete key", "remove character", or "erase text".

Is it correct to say "I backspaced"?

Yes, "backspaced" is the past tense of the verb "backspace" and is perfectly acceptable. For example, "I accidentally typed the wrong word and had to "backspace" to correct it."