remove

1 of 2

verb

re·​move ri-ˈmüv 

removed; removing

transitive verb

1

a

: to change the location, position, station, or residence of

remove soldiers to the front

b

: to transfer (a legal proceeding) from one court to another

2

: to move by lifting, pushing aside, or taking away or off

remove your hat

3

: to dismiss from office

4

: to get rid of : eliminate

remove a tumor surgically

intransitive verb

1

: to change location, station, or residence

removing from the city to the suburbs

2

: to go away

3

: to be capable of being removed

removability

ri-ˌmü-və-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

removable adjective

or less commonly removeable

ri-ˈmü-və-bəl 

removableness

ri-ˈmü-və-bəl-nəs 

noun

removably

ri-ˈmü-və-blē 

adverb

remover noun

remove

2 of 2

noun

1

: removal

specifically : move sense 2c

2

a

: a distance or interval separating one person or thing from another

b

: a degree or stage of separation

Synonyms

Verb

• doff
• douse
• peel (off)
• put off
• shrug off
• take off

Noun

• distance
• lead
• length
• spacing
• spread
• stretch
• way

Examples of remove in a Sentence

Verb

Remove the trash from the front yard.

My tonsils were removed when I was five years old.

Trees help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

These new findings should remove any doubt about his innocence.

What's a good way to remove stains from a silk dress?

The new law would remove obstacles to obtaining a work permit.

He was removed from office.

Noun

She thrives when she's at some remove from mainstream society.

their farm is just a remove of two miles from the town center

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

He's promised to remove taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security, and continue tax cuts that primarily benefited the wealthy, passed during his first term. —Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025

The Defense Department at one point temporarily removed training videos recognizing the Tuskegee Airmen and an online biography of Jackie Robinson. —Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025

Noun

Extreme caricatures of secondary figures (ancient maid, assorted daft gentry) keep us at an even further remove than the cameras do. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

Being able to deal definitive blows in a ring, at some remove from the online world, is Jake’s heart’s desire. —Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English remeven, removen, from Anglo-French remuver, removeir, from Latin removēre, from re- + movēre to move

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for remove

• approve
• disprove
• improve
• reprove
• disapprove
• groove
• move
• prove

Kids Definition

remove

1 of 2 verb

re·​move ri-ˈmüv 

removed; removing

1

: to change or cause to change to another location, position, station, or residence

remove soldiers to the front

2

: to move by lifting, pushing aside, or taking away or off

remove your hat

3

: to dismiss from office

the treasurer was removed after a year

4

: to get rid of : eliminate sense 1

remove a tumor

5

: to go away

6

: to be capable of being removed

a bottle cap that removes easily

remove

2 of 2 noun

1

: removal

especially : move entry 2 sense 2c

2

a

: a distance separating one thing from another

b

: a degree or stage of separation

at one remove

Legal Definition

remove

verb

re·​move ri-ˈmüv 

removed; removing

transitive verb

: to change the location, position, station, status, or residence of: as

a

: to have (an action) transferred from one court to another and especially from a state court to a federal court see also separable controversy

Note: Section 1441 et seq. of title 28 of the U.S. Code allows a defendant who is brought into a state court to remove the action to federal district court when diversity of citizenship exists, when the action involves a claim or right arising under the U.S. Constitution or under laws or treaties of the U.S., or when the defendant is a foreign country or its agency or instrumentality. Civil actions and criminal prosecutions brought against an officer or agency of the U.S. for any act under color of office may also be removed.

b

: to dismiss from office

an independent counsel…may be removed from office…only by the personal action of the Attorney General

—U.S. Code

c

: to take away

should his incapacity be removed by a judgment of a court

—Louisiana Civil Code

removability

-ˌmü-və-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

removable adjective

also removeable

-ˈmü-və-bəl 

removableness noun