Synonyms

evacuation

American

[ih-vak-yoo-ey-shuhn] / ɪˌvæk yuˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

the act or process of evacuating, or the condition of being evacuated; discharge or expulsion, as of contents.
Physiology. discharge, as of waste matter through the excretory passages, especially from the bowels.
something evacuated or discharged.
the removal of persons or things from an endangered area.
clearance by removal of troops, equipment, etc.
the withdrawal or removal of troops, civilians, etc.

Other Word Forms

evacuative adjective
nonevacuation noun
reevacuation noun

Etymology

Origin of evacuation

1350–1400; Middle English evacuacioun < Late Latin ēvacuātion- (stem of ēvacuātiō ). See evacuate, -ion

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.

A fire broke out at Cape Town International Airport Tuesday, prompting passenger evacuations and disrupting international flights to and from South Africa's popular tourist city before being brought under control.

From Barron's

At the height of the evacuation 50,000 people a day were passing through the station.

From BBC

The county commissioned a review of its evacuation system during the fire, but it was roundly criticized for not exposing what or who was responsible for the failures.

From Los Angeles Times

Recent snows have also led to evacuations of several communities in Switzerland and northern Italy, as well as power outages and a train derailment at Goppenstein in the south-western Swiss canton of Valais.

From BBC

The resiliency report also found that residents experienced “evacuation warning fatigue” from routine false alarms, making them hesitant to evacuate.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023