evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evacuate (audio)
-kyü-ˌāt
evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1
: to remove the contents of : empty
2
: to discharge from the body as waste : void
3
: to remove something (such as gas or water) from especially by pumping
4
a
: to remove especially from a military zone or dangerous area
b
: to withdraw from military occupation of
c
: vacate sense 1
were ordered to evacuate the building

intransitive verb

1
: to withdraw from a place in an organized way especially for protection
2
: to pass urine or feces from the body
evacuative adjective

Examples of evacuate in a Sentence

People who live along the coast are being evacuated as the hurricane approaches. During World War II, children were evacuated from London to the country. Residents were ordered to evacuate the building. Residents have been ordered to evacuate.
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.
Smith, his pregnant wife, and two-year-old son safely evacuated their Altadena house before it was lost in January’s deadly wildfires, but Smith’s friend launched a GoFundMe on the artist’s behalf to help recoup the loss of their house, musical instruments, car, and more belongings. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 19 May 2025 As a result, approximately 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forced to evacuate their homes and leave their jobs to live in the camps that were surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards, conditions that are now drawing comparisons to modern-day detention facilities. Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 17 May 2025 Photo Gallery The bacchanal comes to an abrupt end when the cops arrive — military police, not the regular kind — and declare a state of emergency, ordering all EU citizens to evacuate. Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 May 2025 They were all gradually evacuated, with the last 90 transferred to Nasser Hospital and other facilities on Wednesday morning. Mohammad Jahjouh, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for evacuate

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to draw off morbid humors, from Latin evacuatus, past participle of evacuare to empty, from e- + vacuus empty

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evacuate was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Evacuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evacuate. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

evacuate

verb
evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evacuate (audio)
evacuated; evacuating
1
: to make empty
2
: to discharge waste matter from the body
3
: to remove something (as a gas) from especially by pumping
4
a
: to remove troops or people from a place of danger
b
: vacate
evacuate the building
evacuation
-ˌvak-yə-ˈwā-shən
noun

Medical Definition

evacuate

verb
evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt How to pronounce evacuate (audio)
evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1
: to remove the contents of
evacuate an abscess
2
: to discharge (as urine or feces) from the body as waste : void

intransitive verb

: to pass urine or feces from the body
evacuative adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on evacuate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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