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

The story of a college dropout who becomes his terminally ill grandmother’s caretaker prompted a local viral trend of social media users filming themselves crying after seeing it. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 Nov. 2024

The state has pledged additional support to school dropouts and single-parent families. —The Week Uk, theweek, 22 Oct. 2024

Verb

The cart drop came just as Chesterfield — the area's largest county — dropped out of the regional recycling collective altogether. —Karri Peifer, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024

President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday picked Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Trump, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. —Laura Strickler, NBC News, 14 Nov. 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