drop·out
ˈdräp-ˌau̇t 
1
a
: one who drops out of school
b
: one who drops out of conventional society
c
: one who abandons an attempt, activity, or chosen path
a corporate dropout
2
: a momentary defect on a magnetic tape or disk caused by a temporary loss of signal
dropped out; dropping out; drops out
: to withdraw from participation or membership : quit
especially
: to withdraw from conventional society
Examples of dropout in a Sentence
Noun
The program is designed for dropouts who wish to get high school equivalency certificates.
Recent Examples on the Web
Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
From dropout to overachiever For most of her life, Mui struggled to fit into society’s mold.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 23 May 2025
Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 24 May 2025
However, this one is billed as a Hank Bohm Film Directed By Fatih Akin, a tip of the hat to the veteran director Bohm now in his 80s who had planned to make this film but had to drop out after completing his screenplay.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 May 2025
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Noun
But Buckley also welcomed literary talent to his pages: Joan Didion, Arlene Croce, Garry Wills, George Will, the literary critic Hugh Kenner, and John Leonard, a Harvard dropout who joined National Review at nineteen and went on to become a legendary editor of the Times Book Review.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
From dropout to overachiever For most of her life, Mui struggled to fit into society’s mold.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 23 May 2025
Verb
D’Angelo has dropped out of the 2025 Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, citing medical complications related to a previous surgery.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 24 May 2025
However, this one is billed as a Hank Bohm Film Directed By Fatih Akin, a tip of the hat to the veteran director Bohm now in his 80s who had planned to make this film but had to drop out after completing his screenplay.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dropout
Cite this Entry
“Dropout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dropout. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dropout
1 of 2 noun
drop·out
ˈdräp-ˌau̇t
: a person who drops out especially from a school or a training program
drop out
2 of 2 verb
: to withdraw from taking part or membership : quit
dropped out of school
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