clear out

verb

cleared out; clearing out; clears out
Synonyms of clear outnext

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.
Late Tuesday night, Meridian City Hall had mostly cleared out by the time the City Council began its discussion on how laws passed during the 2026 legislative session are expected to affect the city. Rose Evans june 6, Idaho Statesman, 6 June 2026 Most of her top competition had already cleared out of the ongoing French Open, which has become a bloodbath of upsets. Chris Branch, New York Times, 4 June 2026 The cause of the chlorine gas exposure was likely due to the backflow process, which is used to clear out pool filters throughout the day, the news release states. Greta Cross, USA Today, 3 June 2026 Inside, as the step and repeat cleared out and the cast entered, both the packed orchestra and two balconies screeched whenever a member of the cast entered. Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 3 June 2026 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 9 Jun. 2026.

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
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