1
as in to disperse
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
police used tear gas to clear out the demonstrators
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to escape
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
everyone cleared out as soon as the fire alarm began sounding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to depart
to leave a place often for another
the lunch crowd usually clears out by 2:00 p.m. at the latest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of clear out
There are likely a million different to-dos running through your mind, from researching neighborhoods and clearing out your basement to getting preapproved for a mortgage and finding a realtor to work with.
—
Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 19 Jan. 2026
All of the soccer fields were cleared out about 45 minutes after officers arrived on the scene, police said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 19 Jan. 2026
All three goals scored by the Sharks came off rebounds that the Panthers failed to clear out of the way.
—George Richards, Miami Herald, 19 Jan. 2026
The locker room had cleared out and reporters were waiting in an interview room for Nix when Payton returned and delivered the news.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clear out
Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 19 Jan. 2026
All of the soccer fields were cleared out about 45 minutes after officers arrived on the scene, police said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 19 Jan. 2026
All three goals scored by the Sharks came off rebounds that the Panthers failed to clear out of the way.
—George Richards, Miami Herald, 19 Jan. 2026
The locker room had cleared out and reporters were waiting in an interview room for Nix when Payton returned and delivered the news.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clear out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clear out
Verb
-
Forbes excludes dispersed family fortunes but attributes wealth of immediate family members to the founder of a fortune.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Women in black cloaks with their faces and hands covered in line with their religious faith waited in the rain for limited amounts of food to be dispersed.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Austin Abrams stars as a scuba diver who, while searching for his father’s (Josh Brolin) body, gets swallowed and must find a way to escape.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Set in 1977, during Brazil’s military dictatorship, the thriller details Armando and his son in their efforts to escape the country in the midst of political turmoil.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Carney departed before the event.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Chisom departed for Oklahoma State via the transfer portal, and Vaughns – who juggled baseball and football before the 2025 season – is on his way toward a potential NFL career.—
Benjamin Royer,
Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No one was injured, and the suspects fled before deputies arrived.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Other offenses include fleeing from police, escaping from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center, theft, trespassing and giving police a false name.—
Tom Olsen,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Sun Belt Conference preemptively shook up its women’s basketball schedule, moving around the start times on several games from Thursday through Saturday.—
John Raby,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Ukraine has also been frustrated by political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the bloc's at times slow-moving responses.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At some point, as shown in eyewitness video obtained by Bay Area News Group, Husien is seen briefly entering the police vehicle before getting out and running west toward the Highway 87 underpass.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Varied scenes include a video of smokestacks in the unmistakable soft light of a Beijing winter, the artist puffing cigarettes as a Lazy Susan spins leisurely with dishes and a bottle of Nongfu Spring, a local mineral water brand; and a robot getting out of an elevator.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The chase continued onto highways 85 and 87 before the suspect exited in Willow Glen and drove to the final shooting site downtown, with officers from San Jose police, the CHP and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office in pursuit.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Surveillance video shows the suspect walking through the aisles before exiting the building.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This result shows the particles do not have a single location while flying through the apparatus.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Peppa and her friends may not be flying around in super suits, traveling through an enchanted world, or saving the neighborhood from a greedy mayor, but their everyday adventures are just as relevant.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clear out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clear%20out. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
