evacuation

noun

evac·​u·​a·​tion i-ˌva-kyə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce evacuation (audio)
-kyü-ˈā-
Synonyms of evacuationnext
1
: the act or process of evacuating
2
: something evacuated or discharged

Examples of evacuation in a Sentence

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.
At the peak of the evacuations, a third of a million people were driven from homes and vacation sites in France and Spain. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 The quake struck Tuesday afternoon in Kumamoto prefecture on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu at a relatively shallow depth of 6 miles, prompting tsunami warnings and evacuation from coastal areas. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 29 July 2026 Children there start practicing evacuation drills in kindergarten. — Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 29 July 2026 The danger, Giannaros said, is fire moving faster than evacuations can be organized. — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for evacuation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evacuation was in the 14th century

Rhymes for evacuation

See All Rhymes for evacuation

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Evacuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evacuation. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

evacuation

noun
evac·​u·​a·​tion i-ˌvak-yə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce evacuation (audio)
1
: the act or process of evacuating
2
: something evacuated or discharged

More from Merriam-Webster on evacuation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for evacuation

Nglish: Translation of evacuation for Spanish Speakers

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