English Reference

Word

evacuated

Phoneticsevac·u·at·ed

US/iˈvækjəˌweɪtɪd/

UK/ɪvˈækjuːˌeɪtɪd/

Definitions

01moved to safety

B2

v. to have been moved out of a dangerous place because of a threat like a fire or flood.

v. the past tense or past participle of evacuate, describing the removal of persons or things from a place of danger to a safer location.

“Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes before the storm arrived.”

“Emergency services confirmed that the entire coastal village had been successfully evacuated before the rising floodwaters made the main road impassable.”

Usage

Often used in the passive voice ('were evacuated').

Antonyms

02empty of people

B2

adj. describing a place that is now empty because everyone was sent away for safety.

adj. describing a building, area, or town that has been cleared of its inhabitants, typically for safety reasons.

“The police walked through the evacuated building to make sure no one was left behind.”

“The silence in the evacuated city was eerie, with abandoned cars still sitting in the middle of the streets.”

Synonyms

03containing a vacuum

C1 · Science

adj. describing a container where all the air or gas has been taken out.

adj. describing a vessel or space from which all air or other contents have been removed to create a vacuum.

“The experiment must be done inside an evacuated glass tube.”

“The technician placed the sample inside an evacuated chamber to prevent any atmospheric interference with the delicate chemical reaction.”

Technical

Usage

Commonly used in physics and chemistry to describe laboratory equipment.

Synonyms

Antonyms

pressurisedfull

Real-World Examples

“Local residents and tourists are evacuated from Siviri as a forest fire threatens the resort on Halkidiki peninsula, Greece.”
The Guardian · 14 Aug 2026
“Over 500 people were evacuated from the southwestern Landes region.”
The Guardian · 14 Aug 2026
“Thousands of people have been evacuated in the wake of wildfires burning across much of Europe.”
Sky News · 14 Aug 2026
“Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force said it evacuated 4,000 people from Soga train station after they were stranded by the flooding for hours.”
Al Jazeera · 14 Aug 2026

Collocations

evacuated from their homes

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference