verb
evacuate
ih-VAK-yoo-ayt
verb
1
To leave a dangerous place, or move people out of one, for their safety.
"Residents were told to evacuate before the hurricane made landfall."
"Firefighters evacuated the building within minutes of the alarm."
2
To empty something out completely, including creating a vacuum.
"Engineers evacuated the chamber before running the test."
How to Use Evacuate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo clear people out of a dangerous area, or to empty something out.
Common pairings
evacuate the building
evacuate residents
ordered to evacuate
Word Forms
evacuated past tense, evacuates singular
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Residents were told to _____ before the hurricane made landfall.
Etymology
From Latin ēvacuō, "to empty out" — first used in English around 1526.