How do you delete a word by voice?

To delete a word by voice, use the delete phrase for your tool. Windows voice typing deletes the text you just dictated with "delete that", and Voice Access can delete one word with "delete previous word". In Word, "delete" by itself removes the last word or punctuation mark before the cursor. A Mac's standard Dictation command list has no delete phrase, so on a Mac you need Voice Control and the number that the word is shown with.

"Delete that" removes the text you just dictated, not a single word

Windows voice typing uses spoken commands such as "delete that" and "select that" to edit the text you just dictated ¹. The command works on a unit of dictated text, which is often a phrase. To remove one word, select it first with the mouse or keyboard. Microsoft says that "If a word or phrase is selected, speaking any of the "delete that" commands will remove it" ², so the selection decides what goes.

Voice Access works the same way for the last dictated text. Saying "Delete that" deletes the selected text or the last dictated text ³. For a single word, Voice Access has its own command. Its Edit text table lists "Delete the previous or next word" with the phrases "Delete previous word" and "Delete last word" ⁴.

Nuance's Dragon has a similar set. In Dragon 15, "Scratch That", "Delete That" or "Undo that" deletes the last text you dictated ⁵. That is Dragon's behavior and not the built-in Windows tool, so check the phrase in your own version.

In Word, "delete" alone removes one word or punctuation mark

Microsoft's Dictation in Word has a shorter phrase for the same job. Saying "delete" by itself removes the last word or punctuation mark before the cursor ⁶. This is the most direct option for a single word in Word, because it does not need a selection. Word's dictation is part of Microsoft 365, and it needs a reliable internet connection ⁷, so check the setup before you depend on it.

On a Mac, Dictation's command list has no delete phrase, so use Voice Control

The Apple page for Dictation commands lists punctuation, formatting and symbols. When we read it on 2026-10-16, it did not list a delete command, so the page gives no way to delete a word by voice in standard Dictation ( Apple: Commands for dictating text on Mac). Editing by voice on a Mac is a Voice Control job. Apple says that "To interact with a text item (such as a line or a word), say a command, like “Delete” or “Uppercase,” followed by the item’s number." ⁸

The number is the key step. Voice Control shows numbers next to items in a text area when you ask it to. Apple's page says to say "Show text numbers" to display or remove number overlays in a text input area ( Apple: Voice Control commands). Then say "Delete" and the number of the word you want gone.

It depends on the size of the edit and where your hands are

A voice command is not always the quickest fix. For one character, pressing Backspace is usually quicker than speaking a command. Voice is worth the effort when the phrase is long, the cursor is far from it, or your hands are busy. This is a practical judgment, not a measured result.

Selecting first also depends on the tool. In Windows voice typing, you need to select the word before "delete that" removes only it. Voice Access and Word can act on the last word without a selection, which makes them better for single-word deletes.

Steps by platform

1. Windows voice typing. Say "delete that" right after the phrase you want gone. To remove only one word in the middle of a sentence, select the word with the mouse or keyboard first, then say "delete that".
2. Windows Voice Access. Say "Delete previous word" to remove the word before the cursor. Say "Delete that" to remove the last dictated text.
3. Microsoft Word. Say "delete" by itself to remove the last word or punctuation mark.
4. Mac. Turn on Voice Control, say "Show text numbers" in the text area, then say "Delete" followed by the number of the word.

If a phrase like "delete that" is typed into your text instead of acting, the software is in a mode that types words. The question on why dictation types a command covers that case. For the full list of editing phrases, see the guide to dictation commands, and for Mac steps, the Mac dictation commands guide. The voice command term explains how these phrases work.