evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evacuate (audio)
-kyü-ˌāt
evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1
: to remove the contents of : empty
2
: to discharge from the body as waste : void
3
: to remove something (such as gas or water) from especially by pumping
4
a
: to remove especially from a military zone or dangerous area
b
: to withdraw from military occupation of
c
: vacate sense 1
were ordered to evacuate the building

intransitive verb

1
: to withdraw from a place in an organized way especially for protection
2
: to pass urine or feces from the body
evacuative adjective

Examples of evacuate in a Sentence

People who live along the coast are being evacuated as the hurricane approaches. During World War II, children were evacuated from London to the country. Residents were ordered to evacuate the building. Residents have been ordered to evacuate.
Recent Examples on the Web Officials also evacuated people from nearby businesses during the standoff. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Video shows Maui police racing to evacuate people during wildfire 05:27 The Aug. 8 wildfire destroyed more than 2,000 buildings and displaced 4,500 people in Lahaina. CBS News, 9 Mar. 2024 For two years, the aircrafts – including the CH-46 helicopter that evacuated the American ambassador and flag from the roof of the embassy during the fall of Saigon in 1975 – have been sitting outdoors at Miramar. Erika I. Ritchie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 Its mission was to evacuate PLO fighters out of Lebanon into Tunisia. Mireille Rebeiz, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2024 According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, their owners could not be located because the area was evacuated when the wildfires broke out. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Nearly surrounded, the men at the Zenith air base finally received orders to evacuate. Oleksandr Chubko Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 After evacuating nearby homes and locking down the school, firefighters were summoned to shut off the gas supply to the home. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 The wildfire that caused hundreds of people to evacuate in Bent County Saturday is now 90% contained, according to fire officials. Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 4 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to draw off morbid humors, from Latin evacuatus, past participle of evacuare to empty, from e- + vacuus empty

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evacuate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near evacuate

Cite this Entry

“Evacuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evacuate. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

evacuate

verb
evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evacuate (audio)
evacuated; evacuating
1
: to make empty
2
: to discharge waste matter from the body
3
: to remove something (as a gas) from especially by pumping
4
a
: to remove troops or people from a place of danger
b
: vacate
evacuate the building
evacuation
-ˌvak-yə-ˈwā-shən
noun

Medical Definition

evacuate

verb
evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evacuate (audio)
evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1
: to remove the contents of
evacuate an abscess
2
: to discharge (as urine or feces) from the body as waste : void

intransitive verb

: to pass urine or feces from the body
evacuative adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on evacuate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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