Phrasal verb
clear out
Definition
phrasal verb. to remove things you do not need from a place to make it tidy.
phrasal verb. to empty a space or container by removing its contents, typically to organize it or dispose of unwanted items.
Examples
“I need to clear out my closet this weekend.”
“After living in the same house for twenty years, they spent weeks clearing out the attic before moving.”
“The new manager decided to clear out the old files to make room for the digital archiving system.”
Examples
simple
“I need to clear out my closet this weekend.”
contextual
“After living in the same house for twenty years, they spent weeks clearing out the attic before moving.”
complex
“The new manager decided to clear out the old files to make room for the digital archiving system.”
Usage
often used with rooms, cupboards, or drawers as the object.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'clean up' (which focuses on dirt/mess) and 'tidy up' (which focuses on order); 'clear out' specifically implies removal of items to create empty space.
Pitfall
I cleared out it.
I cleared it out.
when the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must go between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
clear + (object) + out
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/clear-out