# take out the trash

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/take-out-the-trash
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To forcefully remove undesirable people from a place.

## Examples

- The manager had to take out the trash and fire the lazy employees.
- The new team leader decided to take out the trash by removing the staff members who were constantly causing problems.
- After years of corruption within the department, the director finally took out the trash to restore order and professional standards.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.