clear out

verb

cleared out; clearing out; clears out
Synonyms of clear outnext

transitive verb

: to drive out or away usually forcibly

Examples of clear out in a Sentence

police used tear gas to clear out the demonstrators everyone cleared out as soon as the fire alarm began sounding
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That means any area impacted by a thunderstorm may eventually clear out enough to resume the festivities. Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 Winnebago foregoes the floor-to-ceiling sliding or rotating wall (or entire room) some manufacturers install in favor of a partial wall that swings the sink over top the toilet to clear out the shower. New Atlas, 3 July 2026 But the acres burned by high-severity fires — when flames explode out of control with extreme temperatures, incinerating trees rather than simply clearing out dead vegetation — have increased thirtyfold. Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 3 July 2026 Keep your grass short and clear out leaf litter and brush piles, since ticks wait in tall, damp growth. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for clear out

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of clear out was in 1613

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clear out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clear%20out. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

clear out

verb
1
: to go or run away often suddenly or secretly
a horse broke loose and cleared out
cleared out without paying me back
2
: to drive out or away usually with force
police cleared out the demonstrators
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