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
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
Officials and lawmakers say a compromise is under discussion in which a few thousand seminary dropouts would be required to serve, but not those still studying.
—Johnatan Reiss, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
Over time, both spacecraft have encountered unexpected issues and dropouts, including a seven-month period in 2020 when Voyager 2 couldn’t communicate with Earth.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
It was founded by college dropouts who were helping to invent Instagram virality in 2011 by sharing funny photos and captions—memes—on the nascent social app.
—Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024
Colorado State, Clemson and Florida Atlantic are the week’s other dropouts.
—USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024
Over her journey from high school dropout to Fed president, Daly has encountered all kinds of roadblocks.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024
Directed by Deborah Riley Draper, James Brown: Say It Loud presents an unvarnished look at Brown’s uphill climb from seventh grade dropout, shoeshine boy and buck dancer to soul/funk pioneer, business mogul and civil rights activist.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2024
Ahead of the dropout announcement, Christie was caught on a hot mic apparently criticizing his former opponents during his campaign’s livestream.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2024
Emily Guskin, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Bethesda Lutheran Communities in 2022 dropped out of the project.
—Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Spraggan auditioned for season 9 in the U.K. and ultimately finished in ninth place and second in her category after dropping out due to being ill.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
The United States has dropped out of the top 20 happiest countries for the first time, with Americans now occupying the 23rd spot on the list.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Campaign donations dry up, colleagues and the press turn away, and the loser drops out or runs as an independent.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Scorza said that a range of factors had led to a dozen candidates dropping out of the hiring process, citing things like salary as a hurdle to attracting the best talent.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 22 Mar. 2024
Continue reading the full story Prince William Abruptly Pulled Out of Godfather's Memorial Service amid Kate Middleton's Cancer News
5 hr 27 min ago
Prince William dropped out of the ceremony honoring his godfather King Constantine of Greece last month amid Kate Middleton's cancer treatment.
—Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
At 24, Ballmer dropped out of Stanford Business School to join Microsoft and Gates, his former Harvard classmate.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2024
Noun
Ken Fisher Fisher, a high school dropout turned college graduate, took $250 to start Fisher Investments.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024
Officials and lawmakers say a compromise is under discussion in which a few thousand seminary dropouts would be required to serve, but not those still studying.
—Johnatan Reiss, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
Over time, both spacecraft have encountered unexpected issues and dropouts, including a seven-month period in 2020 when Voyager 2 couldn’t communicate with Earth.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
It was founded by college dropouts who were helping to invent Instagram virality in 2011 by sharing funny photos and captions—memes—on the nascent social app.
—Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024
Colorado State, Clemson and Florida Atlantic are the week’s other dropouts.
—USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024
Over her journey from high school dropout to Fed president, Daly has encountered all kinds of roadblocks.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024
Directed by Deborah Riley Draper, James Brown: Say It Loud presents an unvarnished look at Brown’s uphill climb from seventh grade dropout, shoeshine boy and buck dancer to soul/funk pioneer, business mogul and civil rights activist.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2024
Ahead of the dropout announcement, Christie was caught on a hot mic apparently criticizing his former opponents during his campaign’s livestream.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2024
Verb
The comptroller’s economic report found that 100,000 Maryland women have dropped out of the workforce between 2019 and 2021, peaking among those ages 25 to 34 — a rate twice as high as the national average.
—Emily Guskin, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Bethesda Lutheran Communities in 2022 dropped out of the project.
—Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Spraggan auditioned for season 9 in the U.K. and ultimately finished in ninth place and second in her category after dropping out due to being ill.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
The United States has dropped out of the top 20 happiest countries for the first time, with Americans now occupying the 23rd spot on the list.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Campaign donations dry up, colleagues and the press turn away, and the loser drops out or runs as an independent.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Scorza said that a range of factors had led to a dozen candidates dropping out of the hiring process, citing things like salary as a hurdle to attracting the best talent.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 22 Mar. 2024
Continue reading the full story Prince William Abruptly Pulled Out of Godfather's Memorial Service amid Kate Middleton's Cancer News
5 hr 27 min ago
Prince William dropped out of the ceremony honoring his godfather King Constantine of Greece last month amid Kate Middleton's cancer treatment.
—Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024
At 24, Ballmer dropped out of Stanford Business School to join Microsoft and Gates, his former Harvard classmate.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dropout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dropout
Cite this Entry
“Dropout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dropout. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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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