evacuate

[ ih-vak-yoo-eyt ]

verb (used with object)

, e·vac·u·at·ed, e·vac·u·at·ing.

1. to leave empty; vacate.

   Synonyms: drain, void, empty

2. to remove (persons or things) from a place, as a dangerous place or disaster area, for reasons of safety or protection:

   to evacuate the inhabitants of towns in the path of a flood.

3. to remove persons from (a city, town, building, area, etc.) for reasons of safety:

   to evacuate the embassy after a bomb threat.

4. Military.
   1. to remove (troops, wounded soldiers, civilians, etc.) from a war zone, combat area, etc.
   2. to withdraw from or quit (a town, fort, etc., that has been occupied).
5. Physiology. to discharge or eject as through the excretory passages, especially from the bowels.
6. to deprive:

   Fear evacuated their minds of reason.

7. to produce a vacuum in.

verb (used without object)

, e·vac·u·at·ed, e·vac·u·at·ing.

1. to leave a place because of military or other threats.
2. to void; defecate.

evacuate

/ ɪˈvækjʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. also intr to withdraw or cause to withdraw from (a place of danger) to a place of greater safety
2. to make empty by removing the contents of
3. also intr physiol
   1. to eliminate or excrete (faeces); defecate
   2. to discharge (any waste product) from (a part of the body)
4. tr to create a vacuum in (a bulb, flask, reaction vessel, etc)

Derived Forms

• eˈvacuative, adjective
• eˌvacuˈation, noun
• eˈvacuˌator, noun

Other Words From

• ree·vacu·ate verb reevacuated reevacuating
• une·vacu·ated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of evacuate¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin ēvacuātus “emptied out” (past participle of ēvacuāre, equivalent to ē- + vacuāre ); e- ¹, vacuum, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of evacuate¹

C16: from Latin ēvacuāre to void, from vacuus empty

Example Sentences

Inspiration from adventurous late-’30s silhouettes makes Rita stand out at the train station in a sea of children ready to evacuate.

From Los Angeles Times

Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate.

From Salon

On Jan. 29, a car carrying Hind and her cousin, 15-year-old Leyan Hamada, as well as Hind’s aunt and uncle and three other cousins, was attacked by Israel Defense Forces while trying to evacuate from an area under heavy bombardment.

From Salon

“In the case of incidents, we would evacuate the passengers, but they wouldn’t see anything,” he says.

From BBC

The blaze led thousands to evacuate and upended the lives of residents across a number of communities.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abandon
• depart
• desert
• discharge
• displace
• expel
• leave
• move out
• pull out
• remove
• vacate
• withdraw