clear out

verb

cleared out; clearing out; clears out

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 Hunting also tended to be easier during this time of year because the fields had already been cleared out, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Gina Park and Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024 The ultimate stress test for the office came when judges early this year moved to clear out gridlock in Alaska’s court system. Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2024 Patrik Jonsson/The Christian Science Monitor Unexpected time of reflection Helping a neighbor clear out a house, Lionel Delavas, a former Californian, picks up a soaked Michael Jackson record and shakes his head. Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Oct. 2024 Israel says its goal is to clear out Hezbollah infrastructure to allow civilians who fled northern Israel after Oct. 8, 2023 — when Israel and Hezbollah began exchanging cross-border strikes — to safely return home. Dave Lawler, Axios, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clear out 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clear out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near clear out

Cite this Entry

“Clear out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clear%20out. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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