clearing out 1 of 2

noun

as in withdrawal

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clearing out

2 of 2

verb

present participle of clear out
1
as in dispersing
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart police used tear gas to clear out the demonstrators

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2
as in escaping
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation everyone cleared out as soon as the fire alarm began sounding

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3
as in departing
to leave a place often for another the lunch crowd usually clears out by 2:00 p.m. at the latest

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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 clearing out
Verb
The turmoil from Moore’s Michigan conduct continues to linger, 10 months later, but the process of clearing out his office in Schembechler Hall went remarkably swift. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026 The nor'easter that has been bringing bands of rain and heavy winds to New York, New Jersey and the Tri-State Area is finally clearing out. — Justin Lewis, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 Activating young adults Volunteers spent most of the morning clearing out years of overgrowth, decaying structures and a greenhouse gone wild. — Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026 On the subway system, workers had rolled out some flood mitigation tools at Coney Island and Howard Beach stations, and had begun pre-storm work of covering up system vents and clearing out drainage systems. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026 Deciding when to downsize is highly personal and contingent on your unique circumstances, and there is no right time to start clearing out your stuff and looking to the future. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 Sep. 2026 Government troops patrolled the streets, ambulances rushed to the victims, and residents ventured out assessing damage and clearing out bloodied clothes from the pavement. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 While Vonnegut toiled in a malt syrup factory, several other prisoners were assigned to labor details clearing out the rubble left behind from the bombings. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026 Smoke from wildfires may lower air quality during the day, clearing out overnight as the storm system moves in. — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clearing out
  1. withdrawal
  2. dispersing
  3. escaping
  4. departing
  5. retirement
  6. fleeing
  7. exiting
  8. egress
Noun
  • With more widespread use, however, a rare, life-threatening side effect known as agranulocytosis (a severe reduction in white blood cells) emerged, prompting clozapine’s withdrawal from the market.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
  • To some, the attack fulfilled long-term right-wing warnings that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza would yield disaster; and the attack was incontrovertible proof that Palestinians will never live in peace with Israel.
    — Dahlia Scheindlin, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of withdrawal
Verb
  • Other finds suggested that rather than dispersing, at least some of the town’s citizenry moved to Lauriacum along with the military.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Last year, Vought mandated that the NIH fund grants in their entirety up front, rather than dispersing funds on a yearly basis.
    — STAT, STAT, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of dispersing
Verb
  • Paola Nicolaides was 12 years old in 1974, when her family fled their home in the capital, Nicosia, escaping the invading Turkish army.
    — Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • After escaping from slavery in Kentucky, Allensworth joined the Civil War on the Union side, becoming a chaplain and rising to the rank of Colonel.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of escaping
Verb
  • Uganda’s health ministry said the man spent fewer than 24 hours in the country and had a normal temperature when screened before departing Entebbe International Airport, near Kampala.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
  • After 10 years at the helm of Saint Laurent, creative director Anthony Vaccarello is departing the house.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of departing
Noun
  • Under today’s rules, someone Jeff and Julie’s age receives 70% of their full-retirement-age benefit by starting at 62, compared with 124% at 70.
    — Ray R. Harris, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Donald, 35, came out of retirement to rejoin the Rams in late August.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of retirement
Verb
  • In 2009, two Israeli tank shells exploded immediately outside Al-Fakhoora, which was crowded with families fleeing an Israeli ground offensive.
    — Mosab Abu Toha, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2026
  • As expected, the animals became anxious, either fleeing the threatening odor or freezing in place.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fleeing
Verb
  • Elsewhere in the makeup category, after exiting most of its department store distribution and launching on social, de La Faverie said that Bobbi Brown is finally gaining market share.
    — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Crude oil exiting the Strait of Hormuz averaged about 10 million barrels per day over the past week, despite a rising number of attacks on tankers.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of exiting
Noun
  • If a factory doesn’t have a fire suppression system yet, but at least there is safe egress, then workers can get out safely in the immediate moment.
    — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Public cloud rewards bursty, variable demand, but for always-on workloads, pay-as-you-go premium and data egress fees compound fast.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of egress

Browse Nearby Words

clearing off
clearing out
clearings
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Cite this Entry

“Clearing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clearing%20out. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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