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Showing results for smoke out. Search instead for poke+out.
Synonyms

smoke out

British  

verb

  1. to subject to smoke in order to drive out of hiding

  2. to bring into the open; expose to the public

    they smoked out the plot

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

smoke out Idioms  
  1. Expose, reveal, bring to public view, as in Reporters thrive on smoking out a scandal. This expression alludes to driving a person or animal out of a hiding place by filling it with smoke. [Late 1500s]


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.

Police and firefighters fenced off the area and a beekeeper was called in to smoke out the bees - a safe way to calm the insects.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2025

Near the coast, the Palisades fire chewed through the Santa Monica Mountains and reduced dream houses with Pacific views to their foundations, sending a jetstream of smoke out to the ocean.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2025

And just about any new building is better than an old building in a wildfire, since better insulation and ventilation can keep the smoke out.

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2025

Otis blew smoke out of his nose, admiring his own muscular arms.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2024

Mei-li pulled her hand off Mong’s shoulder and blew her smoke out the window.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña