evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwāt 

-kyü-ˌāt

evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1

: to remove the contents of : empty

2

: to discharge from the body as waste : void

3

: to remove something (such as gas or water) from especially by pumping

4

a

: to remove especially from a military zone or dangerous area

b

: to withdraw from military occupation of

c

: vacate sense 1

were ordered to evacuate the building

intransitive verb

1

: to withdraw from a place in an organized way especially for protection

2

: to pass urine or feces from the body

evacuative

i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwā-tiv 

-kyü-ˌā-

adjective

Synonyms

• clear
• empty
• vacate
• void

Examples of evacuate in a Sentence

People who live along the coast are being evacuated as the hurricane approaches.

During World War II, children were evacuated from London to the country.

Residents were ordered to evacuate the building.

Residents have been ordered to evacuate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Los Angeles fires impacts GoFundMe CEO Cadogan was forced to evacuate during the deadly Eaton Fire that swept through Altadena in January. —James Powel, USA Today, 8 May 2025

Police said Ruiz continued to threaten the officers the whole time, and other officers evacuated nearby apartments and businesses. —Harry Harris, Mercury News, 7 May 2025

In a news release shared with PEOPLE by the Clearwater Police Department, firefighters and police went door to door to evacuate 60 people from the 12-story building. —David Chiu, People.com, 7 May 2025

He was caught there when Afghanistan's government fell to the Taliban in August 2021 and was unable to get U.S. help to evacuate. —Andrew Schneider, NPR, 7 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to draw off morbid humors, from Latin evacuatus, past participle of evacuare to empty, from e- + vacuus empty

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for evacuate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt 

evacuated; evacuating

1

: to make empty

2

: to discharge waste matter from the body

3

: to remove something (as a gas) from especially by pumping

4

a

: to remove troops or people from a place of danger

b

: vacate

evacuate the building

evacuation

-ˌvak-yə-ˈwā-shən

noun

Medical Definition

evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt 

evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1

: to remove the contents of

evacuate an abscess

2

: to discharge (as urine or feces) from the body as waste : void

intransitive verb

: to pass urine or feces from the body

evacuative

-ˌwāt-iv 

adjective