remove

American  

[ri-moov] / rɪˈmuv /

verb (used with object)

• removes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• removed,
  past participle,  past
• removing
  present participle

1. to move from a place or position; take away or off.

   to remove the napkins from the table.

   Synonyms:

   dislodge

   Antonyms:

   leave

2. to take off or shed (an article of clothing).

   to remove one's jacket.

3. to move or shift to another place or position; transfer.

   She removed the painting to another wall.

   Synonyms:

   transport, displace

4. to put out; send away.

   to remove a tenant.

5. to dismiss or force from a position or office; discharge.

   They removed him for embezzling.

6. to take away, withdraw, or eliminate.

   to remove the threat of danger.

7. to get rid of; do away with; put an end to.

   to remove a stain;

   to remove the source of disease.

8. to kill; assassinate.

   Synonyms:

   murder

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verb (used without object)

• removes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• removed,
  past participle,  past
• removing
  present participle

1. to move from one place to another, especially to another locality or residence.

   We remove to Newport early in July.

   Antonyms:

   remain

2. to go away; depart; disappear.

noun

1. the act of removing.

2. a removal from one place, as of residence, to another.

3. the distance by which one person, place, or thing is separated from another.

   to see something at a remove.

4. a mental distance from the reality of something as a result of psychological detachment or lack of experience.

   to criticize something at a remove.

5. a degree of difference, as that due to descent, transmission, etc..

   a folk survival, at many removes, of a druidic rite.

6. a step or degree, as in a graded scale.

7. British. a promotion of a pupil to a higher class or division at school.

remove British  

/ rɪˈmuːv /

verb

1. to take away and place elsewhere

2. to displace (someone) from office; dismiss

3. to do away with (a grievance, cause of anxiety, etc); abolish

4. to cause (dirt, stains, or anything unwanted) to disappear; get rid of

5. euphemistic to assassinate; kill

6. formal (intr) to change the location of one's home or place of business

   the publishers have removed to Mayfair

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noun

1. the act of removing, esp (formal) a removal of one's residence or place of work

2. the degree of difference separating one person, thing, or condition from another

   only one remove from madness

3. (in certain schools) a class or form, esp one for children of about 14 years, designed to introduce them to the greater responsibilities of a more senior position in the school

4. (at a formal dinner, formerly) a dish to be changed while the rest of the course remains on the table

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• removability
  noun
• remover
  noun
• preremove
  verb (used with object)
• removable
  adjective
• removably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• removing
  present
• removed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• remove
  simple
• removes
  simple
• have removed
  perfect
• has removed
  perfect
• am removing
  progressive
• are removing
  progressive
• is removing
  progressive
• have been removing
  perfect progressive
• has been removing
  perfect progressive

Past

• removed
  simple
• had removed
  perfect
• was removing
  progressive
• were removing
  progressive
• had been removing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will remove
  simple
• will have removed
  perfect
• will be removing
  progressive
• will have been removing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of remove

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb remeven, remefen, remoeven, from Old French remouvoir, from Latin removēre; see re-, move

Explanation

You can remove your name from a list, remove a stain from a t-shirt, or remove old furniture from your house. Whatever it is, when you remove something, you take it somewhere else or get rid of it completely. The verb remove usually means taking something off or getting rid of something. For example, when you take off your coat, you remove it, or when you remove a skillet from the heat, you take it off the burner. Remove can apply to people: a law-breaking politician who is removed from office. As a noun remove indicates distance, such as being at one remove from your cousin, getting all his news from his mother.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

remove removes removed removing

The end of the probe should remove some of the discount on Julius Baer’s shares due to a “manageable” outcome, RBC says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Soon after TechCrunch reported on the concerns, Instinct updated its terms-of-service agreement to remove several of the phrases that raised eyebrows.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

This process delivers nutrients while helping remove waste products and inflammatory signals.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026

“When we’re asked to remove something like Flock, it’s difficult, because what do we use instead of it?”

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

She was just about to remove the cash box and head upstairs when she heard the shout.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Millions of Americans retire with far less than a six-figure savings account, and being single in retirement removes a second income stream that couples can rely on.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

A spokesperson for Meta, which owns several social media platforms including Facebook, said "no one should be subjected to abuse of any kind" adding that it removes harmful content when it finds it.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Every collision removes some of the energy supplied by the wind and reduces how far a floe can travel before it strikes another piece of ice.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

That is what I want from a back-pocket formula: something that removes decisions without removing choice.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

Not only is it plausible, but it also kindly removes the blame from me.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

The trust may specify what happens next if a trustee is removed.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

The Transportation Department says it has removed more than 28,000 drivers from the road for failing English-proficiency tests since early 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Leicestershire took 19 points from the match against Glamorgan - 16 for winning and three bonus points - which were removed but remain the subject of appeal.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Anyone attempting to illegally enter the United States will be apprehended, prosecuted, and removed from the country.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

She removed her tiara and placed it on the head of the gold-leafed marble cherub that served as one of the bedposts.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

This means removing barriers between teams and making room for employees who will help fine-tune search results as shoppers sort through Etsy’s more than 100 million listings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

To avoid bear encounters, Fish and Wildlife recommends removing unsecured food from cars and tents, using bear-resistant food canisters or bear lockers, and regularly disposing trash.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

"By removing NUDT5 rather than simply inhibiting it, we were able to uncover a hidden layer of biology that helps determine how cells respond to a clinically important drug."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

Party insiders say measures such as removing VAT from electricity bills are just the start of that assistance.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

El Gran Misterio was removing his costume, hanging it in the closet, and Moss laughed.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Related Words

• abolish
• clear away
• cut out
• delete
• discard
• discharge
• dismiss
• eliminate
• erase
• evacuate
• expel
• extract
• get rid of
• oust
• pull out
• raise
• separate
• ship
• take out
• transfer