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removed; removing
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
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
remover
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
Example Sentences
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
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Recent Examples on the Web
Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 24 Mar. 2023
This type of rust remover is frequently made from sodium hydrosulfite, which can remove rust without damaging delicate materials.
—Tony Carrick, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2023
The conclusion isn’t wholly satisfying, but perhaps because the play can’t possibly remove the veil between the natural and supernatural worlds.
—Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2023
Law enforcement agencies can petition courts to temporarily remove people’s weapons for up to 14 days under the law.
—Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2023
Papandrea asked the court to order the city Election Commission to remove from the August primary ballot the names of candidates who have served three terms in office or held office for more than 12 years.
—Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2023
The policy, part of a broader effort to resist federal regulations, complicates efforts to remove guns from domestic abusers, whose gun infractions are usually referred to federal authorities.
—USA Today, 23 Mar. 2023
Fortunately, chickweed and other weed seedlings are easy to remove.
—Jeff Lowenfels | Alaska Gardening And Growing, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Mar. 2023
This is vital because metal can scratch and remove the layer of Teflon.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 23 Mar. 2023
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2022
Words and sentences track her like ghosts, at a remove from her body, but near enough to be within ear- and eyeshot.
—Han Kang, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2023
The people of Ethiopia were on the fringes of Egypt and the Near East, but at far enough of a remove that we are not treated to any literary documents which attest to the process of ethnogenesis.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 17 Sep. 2012
Unfolded parallel to Zecchini’s story, at a remove that is rather more understandable, is that of her eventual trainer Stephen Keenan.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Jan. 2023
American theater investigates all manner of urgent concerns, but in matters of war, the discourse routinely occurs at a geographical remove.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2023
At a remove meeting Wednesday, Hofer said Berkeley City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley withdrew the council vote on Louis’ appointment.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
This was not medicine to be practiced at a bloodless remove.
—Mattie Kahn, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2022
Banshees takes place on an Irish isle, where the Irish Civil War is literally within view but at a geographic remove.
—ELLE, 22 Dec. 2022
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Verb
Documents show that Hyundai plans to inspect affected vehicles and remove the tow hitch harness as necessary while working on a long-term solution.
—Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 24 Mar. 2023
This type of rust remover is frequently made from sodium hydrosulfite, which can remove rust without damaging delicate materials.
—Tony Carrick, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2023
The conclusion isn’t wholly satisfying, but perhaps because the play can’t possibly remove the veil between the natural and supernatural worlds.
—Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2023
Law enforcement agencies can petition courts to temporarily remove people’s weapons for up to 14 days under the law.
—Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2023
Papandrea asked the court to order the city Election Commission to remove from the August primary ballot the names of candidates who have served three terms in office or held office for more than 12 years.
—Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2023
The policy, part of a broader effort to resist federal regulations, complicates efforts to remove guns from domestic abusers, whose gun infractions are usually referred to federal authorities.
—USA Today, 23 Mar. 2023
Fortunately, chickweed and other weed seedlings are easy to remove.
—Jeff Lowenfels | Alaska Gardening And Growing, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Mar. 2023
This is vital because metal can scratch and remove the layer of Teflon.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 23 Mar. 2023
Noun
Like beings provoked out of the absolute rock and set nameless and at no remove from their own loomings to wander ravenous and doomed and mute as gorgons shambling the brutal wastes of Gondwanaland in a time before nomenclature was and each was all.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2022
Words and sentences track her like ghosts, at a remove from her body, but near enough to be within ear- and eyeshot.
—Han Kang, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2023
The people of Ethiopia were on the fringes of Egypt and the Near East, but at far enough of a remove that we are not treated to any literary documents which attest to the process of ethnogenesis.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 17 Sep. 2012
Unfolded parallel to Zecchini’s story, at a remove that is rather more understandable, is that of her eventual trainer Stephen Keenan.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Jan. 2023
American theater investigates all manner of urgent concerns, but in matters of war, the discourse routinely occurs at a geographical remove.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2023
At a remove meeting Wednesday, Hofer said Berkeley City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley withdrew the council vote on Louis’ appointment.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
This was not medicine to be practiced at a bloodless remove.
—Mattie Kahn, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2022
Banshees takes place on an Irish isle, where the Irish Civil War is literally within view but at a geographic remove.
—ELLE, 22 Dec. 2022
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These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'remove.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of remove was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near remove
Cite this Entry
“Remove.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remove. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.
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 noun1
: 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
: 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
U.S. Code
c
: to take away
should his incapacity be removed by a judgment of a court—Louisiana Civil Code
Louisiana Civil Code
removableness
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on remove
Nglish: Translation of remove for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of remove for Arabic Speakers
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