Ctrl-Alt-Delete

noun

The simultaneous key combination of Ctrl, Alt, and Delete.

“Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to reboot.”

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Meanings

nounCtrl-Alt-Delete (uncountable)

alternative Ctrl-Alt-Del · alternative Ctrl+Alt+Del · alternative Control-Alt-Delete · alternative Control+Alt+Delete · alternative ctrl-alt-delete

  1. uncountablecomputingThe simultaneous key combination of Ctrl, Alt, and Delete.

    Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to reboot.

interjection

alternative Ctrl-Alt-Del · alternative Ctrl+Alt+Del · alternative Control-Alt-Delete · alternative Control+Alt+Delete · alternative ctrl-alt-delete

  1. humoroussometimesliteratureSaid by a sentient machine to express the desire to kill or destroy something or someone.
verbCtrl-Alt-Delete (third-person singular simple present Ctrl-Alt-Deletes, present participle Ctrl-Alt-Deleting, simple past and past participle Ctrl-Alt-Deleted)

present singular third person Ctrl-Alt-Deletes · participle present Ctrl-Alt-Deleting · participle past Ctrl-Alt-Deleted · past Ctrl-Alt-Deleted · alternative Ctrl-Alt-Del · alternative Ctrl+Alt+Del · alternative Control-Alt-Delete · alternative Control+Alt+Delete · alternative ctrl-alt-delete

  1. intransitivetransitiveliteralcomputingTo press Ctrl, Alt, and Delete simultaneously to restart.
  2. figurativelyintransitivetransitiveTo reset.

Origin

Key combination of Ctrl, Alt and Delete. In many computer systems, this interrupts or shuts down the system or some part of it or opens up a shut-down menu.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Ctrl-Alt-Delete. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ctrl-Alt-Delete

MLA

“Ctrl-Alt-Delete.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ctrl-Alt-Delete. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ctrl-Alt-Delete,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ctrl-Alt-Delete.

Source: Ctrl-Alt-Delete on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.