dropout

1 of 2

noun

drop·​out ˈdräp-ˌau̇t 

1

a

: one who drops out of school

b

: one who drops out of conventional society

c

: one who abandons an attempt, activity, or chosen path

a corporate dropout

2

: a momentary defect on a magnetic tape or disk caused by a temporary loss of signal

drop out

2 of 2

verb

ˌdräp-ˈau̇t 

dropped out; dropping out; drops out

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from participation or membership : quit

especially : to withdraw from conventional society

Examples of dropout in a Sentence

Noun

The program is designed for dropouts who wish to get high school equivalency certificates.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Martel was a high school dropout who began her career making performance and street art during the late Eighties and early Nineties. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025

Improved living standards can support stronger mental health, sharper cognitive performance, lower dropout risk and higher satisfaction. —Kira Golenko, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

Verb

Baker—hesitant to commit to an internet venture right after the dot-com crash—stayed in school, while Fluhr dropped out to officially launch the business in October 2000. —Alicia Park, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025

Democrats have talked of Pritzker as a possible candidate since at least 2022-2023, when he was seen as a possible alternative to President Joe Biden, should Biden drop out. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1875, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dropout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dugout

Kids Definition

dropout

1 of 2 noun

drop·​out ˈdräp-ˌau̇t 

: a person who drops out especially from a school or a training program

drop out

2 of 2 verb

dräp-ˈau̇t 

: to withdraw from taking part or membership : quit

dropped out of school