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.
Research published in Nature Astronomy in April 2025 used this to look at the material in space close to the sun and map out structures in the Local Bubble, a region of space surrounding the sun where ancient supernovae cleared out much of the gas. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 15 May 2025 Garlic skins tend to get stuck in the holes of most presses, but the little ridged grid on this one flips down and clears out everything in one go. Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 May 2025 Most blocks have signs indicating that, for a ninety-minute period on different days of the week, the cars on one side of the street must clear out to allow the street sweeper to go by. Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 Following the devastation of seeing Damian Lillard go down with a torn Achilles in Sunday’s Game 4, the Milwaukee Bucks’ home locker room at Fiserv Forum quickly cleared out. Sam Amick, New York Times, 1 May 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

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Cite this Entry

“Clear out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clear%20out. Accessed 23 May. 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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