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 Luckily, the growing crowd at Friday prayers typically clears out just as happy hour at the social club is getting underway. Scott Horsley, NPR, 20 Sep. 2024 Fans on message forums and social media have accused the A’s of a plain-daylight move to clear out the Coliseum prematurely, poetically discouraging fans from bidding farewell on their terms. Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 20 Sep. 2024 The document was reportedly found inside an old filing cabinet in a storage room while the property was being cleared out and sold to the state of North Carolina for conservation and transformation into a public historic site. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2024 Smoke from the fires was expected to clear out of the area early Friday. Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 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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