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

Or the TCM could be in an isolated chamber, evacuated of air, which is known as a closed system.

From Science Daily

Of the total responses, 72% stated they lost wages because of air quality or school closures that forced them to leave their jobs to pick up their children, and 14% were evacuated from their homes.

From Los Angeles Times

Almost 200,000 people were evacuated from areas along the border by the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin condemned the Ukrainian offensive as a "major provocation".

From BBC

Eleven children were among those killed by a separate Russian strike on Sumy late on Sunday, which saw the region’s power cut off and over 400 people evacuated.

From BBC

“We are currently working to safely evacuate guests.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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