dropout

1 of 2

noun

drop·​out ˈdräp-ˌau̇t 

1

a

: one who drops out of school

b

: one who drops out of conventional society

c

: one who abandons an attempt, activity, or chosen path

a corporate dropout

2

: a momentary defect on a magnetic tape or disk caused by a temporary loss of signal

drop out

2 of 2

verb

ˌdräp-ˈau̇t 

dropped out; dropping out; drops out

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from participation or membership : quit

especially : to withdraw from conventional society

Examples of dropout in a Sentence

Noun

The program is designed for dropouts who wish to get high school equivalency certificates.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

High school dropout turned billionaire Jared Isaacman has collaborated twice with SpaceX to go on missions to outer space—but for a good cause. —Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 5 Dec. 2024

And dropouts are inevitably a problem for the community at large and not just for those individuals. —Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 20 Nov. 2024

Verb

Kennedy, who ran for the Democratic nomination then as an independent candidate before dropping out and endorsing Trump, espouses debunked views on public health—including skepticism about the efficacy of childhood vaccines and the Covid-19 vaccine. —Sara Dorn, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had previously lamented Biden not dropping out sooner. —Maydeen Merino, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1875, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dropout

1 of 2 noun

drop·​out ˈdräp-ˌau̇t 

: a person who drops out especially from a school or a training program

drop out

2 of 2 verb

dräp-ˈau̇t 

: to withdraw from taking part or membership : quit

dropped out of school