evacuate

[ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt]

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To evacuate means to leave an area quickly, often because it's not safe to stay there. This could be because of a fire, flood, or other emergency.

When something big happens and people need to get out fast, we use the word "evacuate". Imagine you're at the beach and a strong storm warning comes on - the lifeguards might tell everyone to evacuate the area to stay safe from the wind and waves. In a city, if there's a fire in an apartment building, the firefighters will usually ask people to evacuate the building for their own safety.

We use "evacuate" with subjects like groups of people (e.g., "the family evacuated") or areas (e.g., "the city was evacuated").

How common is "evacuate"?

Word evacuate is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

verb

To leave or withdraw from; to quit; to retire from
Example: The firefighters told us to evacuate the area as the flames approached.
To cause to leave or withdraw from.
Example: The firefighters decided to evacuate all the inhabitants from the street.
To make empty; to empty out; to remove the contents of, including to create a vacuum.
Example: The scientist evacuated the chamber before filling it with nitrogen.
To make empty; to deprive.
To remove; to eject; to void; to discharge, as the contents of a vessel, or of the bowels.
To make void; to nullify; to vacate.
Example: to evacuate a contract or marriage

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Real examples of "evacuate" in context

Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War Official Trailer

Trailers

Evacuate the city.

1:17

Can a Ping-Pong Ball Really Be Deadly? | MythBusters | Discovery

Entertainment

And so, with the air evacuated from the barrel and the choke ready to charge, Jamie steps up to the plate.

13:22

The Louvre | The Wildest Robbery of the 21st Century

Entertainment

Then we were headed out the exit. We didn't realize the whole museum was being evacuated.

4:29

Elizabeth Olsen Feels Brave While Eating Spicy Wings | Hot Ones

Interview

Our director ran into a glass wall and had to go to the hospital. We had a fire. We had to evacuate, but we couldn't evacuate until we were sure we were going to get our insurance money.

15:41