evacuation
Americannoun
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the act or process of evacuating, or the condition of being evacuated; discharge or expulsion, as of contents.
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Physiology. discharge, as of waste matter through the excretory passages, especially from the bowels.
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something evacuated or discharged.
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the removal of persons or things from an endangered area.
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clearance by removal of troops, equipment, etc.
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the withdrawal or removal of troops, civilians, etc.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of evacuation
1350–1400; Middle English evacuacioun < Late Latin ēvacuātion- (stem of ēvacuātiō ). See evacuate, -ion
Explanation
An evacuation happens when people are removed from or leave a dangerous place. An approaching hurricane sometimes results in the evacuation of islands and coastal towns. A fire drill or bomb threat can cause the evacuation of a school building, and during World War II there were frequent evacuations of buildings and areas of cities including London, when people hurried into shelters. Another meaning of evacuation is the emptying of something, whether a container or a human body. This relates to the word's original meaning, "discharge of blood from the body," from the Latin evacuare, "to empty."
Vocabulary lists containing evacuation
Salt to the Sea
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CTE Construction ("Core Curriculum: Introductory Craft Skills,") Vocabulary from Module One
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"Building Design and Construction Handbook," Vocabulary from Section 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He thanked all emergency services involved in the response, as well as volunteers who supported the evacuation process.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
Heavy traffic and illegal parking also have created unsafe conditions along State Highway 89, one of the heavily forested county’s main thoroughfares and a critical fire evacuation route.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
"WHO Europe is working with the countries involved to support medical care, evacuation, investigations and public health risk assessment."
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
The WHO said it was "facilitating coordination" between national authorities and the ship's operators to organise the medical evacuation of two passengers with symptoms.
From Barron's • May 3, 2026
At 5:44 A.M. on Saturday, the prime minister of Japan, Naoto Kan, issued the evacuation order for everyone within 6 miles of the plant—about 45,000 people altogether.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
