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
Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 June 2024
Such decisions are based in the belief that more requirements lead to a higher dropout rate.
—Rahm Emanuel, Washington Post, 25 June 2024
Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 July 2024
Before long, a mentor relationship develops between the restaurant’s alternatingly stern and gregarious proprietor and his unlikely new employee, who drops out of school to immerse himself in Japanese culture, from learning the language to cooking the food and even writing haikus.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for dropout 
Noun
Recommended Creativity Rebels with a religious cause: Meet New York’s avant-garde conservatives
The bridge will help reduce absenteeism and school dropouts in the area, predicts Mohamed Jouili, a professor of sociology at the University of Tunis, over email.
—Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 June 2024
Such decisions are based in the belief that more requirements lead to a higher dropout rate.
—Rahm Emanuel, Washington Post, 25 June 2024
Verb
Spiro then cross-examined her, asking about a series of people who had dropped out of the prosecution team over the last year — an investigator, a paralegal, an attorney.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 July 2024
Before long, a mentor relationship develops between the restaurant’s alternatingly stern and gregarious proprietor and his unlikely new employee, who drops out of school to immerse himself in Japanese culture, from learning the language to cooking the food and even writing haikus.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for dropout
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Dropout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dropout. Accessed 26 Jul. 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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