What does redaction mean?
Redaction is the practice of removing, masking, or obscuring information in a document, record, or communication. It is commonly used to protect private individuals, confidential business information, classified material, or details that are legally restricted from publication. A redacted document generally remains otherwise readable, with the concealed portions marked by black bars, replacement text, or a notice. The term is especially frequent in legal, governmental, journalistic, and publishing contexts. Redaction differs from censorship in that it usually concerns the handling of sensitive or restricted material rather than the broad suppression of expression for political or ideological reasons. In everyday discussion, it also has a figurative use for deliberately leaving certain information out of a public account.
nounThe process of removing or obscuring information from a document or record, especially sensitive, confidential, or legally restricted material. A redaction may conceal a word, passage, name, or other detail while leaving the surrounding text visible.
- The removal or obscuring of sensitive, confidential, privileged, or legally restricted information from a document, record, or communication.
- A deliberate act of concealing a passage or detail in a published or publicly accessible text.
"The agency released the report after redacting the names of witnesses."
"The court ordered the redaction of confidential medical details from the filing."
"A redaction notice explained that certain names had been withheld under privacy rules."
Used for individual concealments or instances of removing or obscuring information.
"The editor added several redactions before publishing the interview transcript."
Redaction lets a document reveal what it chooses to disclose while protecting what it is required—or chooses—to conceal.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does redaction come from?
The word comes from Latin redactus, the past participle of redigere, meaning “to bring back,” “restore,” or “to decide upon” and, by extension, “to edit.” English adopted the related verb redact in the early 17th century in the sense of preparing written material for publication. The noun redaction developed later, reflecting the modern use of the word for the concealment or removal of sensitive material. Redact and redactor are related forms from the same Latin source.
Related word forms
How redaction is actually used
Redaction is especially common in legal, governmental, journalistic, and publishing contexts. Unlike simple deletion, it often implies that the underlying information remains part of the original document but is hidden from the version made available.
Easily confused with redaction
Redaction is the act of concealing or removing information; censorship is the broader practice of suppressing or controlling material for political, social, or institutional reasons.
Redaction names the process, while redact is the verb describing the act of removing or obscuring information.