clear out

verb

cleared out; clearing out; clears out

intransitive verb

: depart

transitive verb

: to drive out or away usually forcibly

Synonyms of clear out

• disperse

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

On the subway system, workers had rolled out some flood mitigation tools at Coney Island and Howard Beach stations, and had begun pre-storm work of covering up system vents and clearing out drainage systems. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026

The formula draws upon plant extracts like cypress leaf and skullcap to reduce oil production, while willow bark extract and lactic acid clear out impurities, giving the appearance of visibly smaller pores. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026

Deciding when to downsize is highly personal and contingent on your unique circumstances, and there is no right time to start clearing out your stuff and looking to the future. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 Sep. 2026

Unfortunately, the team was non-competitive down the stretch, dropping their final five games by 23 or more points each after mid-season trades cleared out key stars. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for clear out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

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