# chase off

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chase-off
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to make a person or animal leave a place by running after them or acting in a scary way. You use this when you want to get rid of an unwanted visitor.

For teachers: to force a person or animal to depart by pursuit or intimidation. This transitive verb requires a direct object representing the entity being expelled.

## Examples

- The loud dog managed to chase off the birds from the garden.
- The shopkeeper had to chase off the group of teenagers who were loitering outside the entrance and blocking customers.
- The sudden appearance of the apex predator was enough to chase off the smaller scavengers that had been picking at the carcass.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The thief chased off when he saw the police." but "The thief ran off when he saw the police." — the phrase is transitive and means to make someone else leave; it cannot be used to describe the subject's own departure.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by an animal or a person that is not welcome in a specific area.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'chase', which focuses on the act of following to catch; 'chase off' focuses on the result of making the subject leave.

---

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.