clear out

British  

verb

1. informal (intr) to go away: often used imperatively

2. (tr) to remove and sort the contents of (a room, container, etc)

3. slang (tr) to leave (someone) with no money

4. slang (tr) to exhaust (stocks, goods, etc) completely

5. (tr) to get rid of (employees, players, etc, that are no longer required)

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noun

1. the act or an instance of clearing out

clear out Idioms  

1. Also, . Remove the contents, take something or someone away, as in I'll clear out this closet so you can use it , or Let me clear away these things , or Please clear off the table . The first phrase dates from the mid-1600s, the second from the mid-1700s, and the third from the early 1700s. Sometimes away and out are omitted, as in Let me clear these things , or Please clear the table . Also see clean up , def. 1.

2. Depart suddenly or run away, as in We cleared out before our landlord could stop us . [Early 1800s]

3. Drive or force out, as in The police cleared out the restaurant in no time . [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

He wasn’t the only one to clear out his direct holdings.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

She described going to clear out Henry's room at university and finding his advent calendar with only the first three doors open, "that broke me," she added.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

It also will take time to clear out the bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz, typically the conduit for about 20% of the world’s petroleum supply.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026

“I was thinking we can clear out a closet at my place, and you could spend more time there.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

And if I don’t, it’s time for Peeta and me to clear out of here.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• clean out
• dispose of
• get rid of