Phrasal verb
drop out of
Definition
phrasal verb. to stop doing something before you have finished it, especially a school or university course.
phrasal verb. to withdraw from an educational institution, competition, or organized activity before completion. The verb is intransitive in its base form ('he dropped out') but requires 'of' when followed by a specific object.
Examples
“He decided to drop out of college to start a business.”
“After struggling with the workload for three months, she finally chose to drop out of the marathon training program.”
“The study examines why students from marginalized backgrounds are statistically more likely to drop out of higher education during their first year.”
Examples
simple
“He decided to drop out of college to start a business.”
contextual
“After struggling with the workload for three months, she finally chose to drop out of the marathon training program.”
complex
“The study examines why students from marginalized backgrounds are statistically more likely to drop out of higher education during their first year.”
Usage
usually followed by a noun representing a course, school, or competition.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'quit' (more general) and 'withdraw' (more formal); emphasize that 'drop out' specifically implies leaving a structured path or system.
Pitfall
He dropped out the school.
He dropped out of the school.
the preposition 'of' is mandatory when the place or activity being left is mentioned.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
drop + out + of + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/drop-out-of