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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Generally, most retailers are open on Labor Day, using the holiday as an opportunity to clear out summer merchandise (often at a notable discount). Chris Morris, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2025 The fatal case in Missouri follows the deaths of a 12-year-old boy who got sick after swimming in a South Carolina lake and a 71-year-old woman in Texas who contracted the infection by using tap water to clear out her sinuses. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025 The clear out, which has seen the likes of Marcus Rashford leave the club on loan, was supposed to usher in a new era of positivity at the 20-time top-flight champion. Ben Church, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025 That grocery left behind the shelving and aisles that a swap shop might need — but they were covered in dust when Misty Germany, an NYU facilities employee, arrived to clear out the space in May. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clear out

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clear out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clear%20out. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

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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