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)

---

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]

---

Example Sentences

Insoluble fiber — found in foods like whole wheat and wheat bran — helps clear out the gut, and is not digested.

From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026

"And on the route, it encounters that instability zone around binaries, where three-body effects kick into place and gravitationally clear out the zone."

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

When an American frigate hit a mine during the so-called Tanker War, the U.S. sent in a force to clear out Iranian positions in the Gulf and destroyed Iranian ships that confronted it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

County officials have long used the chemicals in waterways to clear out vegetation and maintain the water-carrying capacity of flood control channels.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Since I can neither join in the rebels’ outrage nor counter it, I decide the best thing to do is clear out.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• clean out
• dispose of
• get rid of